In a career spanning nearly 30 years, Widespread Panic has become one of the most popular touring acts in the country.
Whether the rock group is opening for legendary acts such as The Allman Brothers Band, playing massive festivals such as Bonnaroo or just going on the road by itself, its touring schedule has rightly earned the Athens, Ga.-based six-piece a loyal following.
The band will bring its brand of country- and jazz fusion-influenced rock ‘n’ roll to the Warner Theatre in Washington tomorrow and Wednesday night.
But even with its devoted fanbase, Widespread Panic acknowledges the harsh realities of touring heavily in times like these.
“From a personal standpoint, I wish we could tour more,” percussionist Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz said. “But with the economics … there are a lot of people now who are picking and choosing what they want to do, what they want to see. And that’s being realistic.”
The poor economy may have limited some of the band’s touring, but it has only fueled the band’s burning passion for playing music to a receptive audience.
“I love playing music,” Ortiz said. “It’s just like reading a book to your kids. You want to play your music to someone to get feedback, to get that excitement, to get that energy level going. Whereas, when you’re sitting in a studio in a sterile environment and you’re looking at four, five other guys in the studio, then you get a little bit of feedback but not as much as you do when you got two or three thousand people and their interaction amongst the fans.”
Where those fans come from is a curious thing.
Widespread Panic fancies itself as a rock band, but the group’s most loyal followers are often jam band devotees. And though 20-minute songs are not foreign to the band and The Grateful Dead can certainly be seen as an influence, jam band culture does not seem to fit Widespread Panic as well as it does acts such as Phish or The String Cheese Incident.
Nevertheless, Widespread Panic has happily played to joyous crowds for decades, wherever fans’ allegiances may lie.
One hallmark of the jam scene is recreational drug use. And lucky for those who enjoy the greener things in life, Widespread Panic begins its two-night residency in Washington tomorrow, better known as 4/20, cannabis culture’s all-purpose pothead holiday.
“I never kiss and tell. All I can say is that you gotta come out and check it out,” Ortiz said when asked about what he expects at the 4/20 show.
But when questioned about his feelings toward the jam band community’s well-known drug usage, his tone is decidedly more serious.
“It’s one of those kind of things where it’s a personal preference,” Ortiz said. “You have a right side brain, and you have a left side brain to make those decisions yourself. I don’t particularly care for any of that.
“People have taken a misconception of the band in thinking that just because we play that kind of music that they tag you with that label,” he added. “It’s kind of unfair to the band. It’s kind of unfair to the person. Obviously, six guys can’t go and monitor what 6,000 people may or may not do.”
So whatever plans members of the audience have at the Warner Theatre this week, Widespread Panic’s music-playing mission is clear.
“We’ve always enjoyed being able to perform at any level because that’s what makes us different than most people — than most artists — because there are no huge egos,” Ortiz said of Widespread Panic’s ability to play clubs or arenas to the same effect.
“And for us to play in front of 200 people or 2,000 people, they would still get treated the same way,” he added. “Even when it’s on a Sunday night or a Tuesday night, it feels like a Friday or a Saturday. … When we’re together, [what is] exciting is to create that environment to set the tone and then let the audience take off with it, however you want to.”
Widespread Panic will play at the Warner Theatre tomorrow and Wednesday. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and tickets cost $44.50.
rhiggins@umdbk.com
