Andy Tennille/Special to go knoxville Widespread Panic is enjoying 30 years of musical camaraderie and creativity. The band is, from left, Dave Schools, Todd Nance, John Bell, Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, John "JoJo" Hermann and Jimmy Herring.

By Wayne Bledsoe of the Knoxville News Sentinel

Widespread Panic is celebrating 30 years of playing music with a tour that takes the band to some favorite spots, but Panic vocalist John Bell remembers when the group was an Athens, Ga., act that didn't feel like they should charge admission.

"We recognized that we were basically rehearsing and exploring on stage in our early shows and we were committed to not charging more than a dollar a head at the door," says Bell. "If 40 people came in we'd get $40. If 300 people came in we'd get $300. But the club owner would say, 'You guys really gotta start charging two bucks!' We said, 'Aw, we can't do that. It'd feel like we were fleecing people!' So we compromised at a buck-fifty."

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The band reconsidered its decision when the doorman, immortalized in the band's song "One Arm Steve," insisted the band make it an even two.

"We didn't realize that he was trying to make change with that one arm! That's a true song. 'One Arm Steve' threw JoJo (Hermann) out of the club, because he was new in the band and his photo wasn't on the last album."

Widespread Panic's two-night Knoxville stand at the Tennessee Theatre is part of what the band has stated will be its last extensive tour. The group will still play shows, but won't take months-long forays on the road.

The band began in 1986 after University of Georgia students and guitarists Bell and Michael Houser decided to expand their duo act into a full group. By 1986, the group had expanded to include bassist Dave Schools and drummer Todd Nance. Percussiont Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz joined shortly thereafter and the band recorded the album "Space Wrangler" in 1987. The band drew a large following in college towns around the South and signed with the newly resurrected Capricorn Records in 1991. T Lavitz became the group's first keyboardist, but JoJo Hermann took over the role in 1992.

Panic was part of the burgeoning jam band scene, that included a wide variety of bands and styles.

"The jam band moniker doesn't fit well with me, but people are always trying to describe things in one or two words, so I understand that," says Bell. "I consider us a rock 'n' roll band. It was club owners trying to put a blanket or a label on something so they could sell it. So for years there were a lot of clubs with a lot of incessant noodling going on. You can open up the dictionary and just start reading words, but if they don't come together then there's no meaning there. Also, when kids start learning to talk they're just opening their mouths and making sounds, so you gotta start somewhere. It's tough to justify paying five bucks at the door for that!"

Widespread Panic, however, earned a reputation for having shows that were special. The band members' musical communication with each other created some magic moments.

Bell says those performances happen far more frequently now than they did before:

"It used to be very elusive and it was because of the inconsistency of our equipment and the sonics of the clubs that we were playing. (Now) We carry our own sound equipment with us, so that's consistent from gig to gig, and the equipment has evolved to be so much better.

"It's not till the end of the show where you go, 'We were riding a high till the end of the night' or you go, 'Some of those songs were good, but on other songs we lost collective attention in a couple of spots.' But, it's kind of like meditation. You just have to keep bringing yourself back to that point of focus. You know right off the bat if it has the potential to be a good night, but you never know until the evening's over — while reflecting with a piece of pizza."

The biggest change for the band was when founding guitarist Houser died of cancer, not after the band had headlined the first Bonnaroo festival in 2002.

"It was kind of weird, because we played two years after Mikey passed away and then we took 14 months off. We planned to have a break a long time before that, but then Mikey got sick and we felt we should get the band on its legs before we considered taking that much time off."

During those two years, George McConnell played guitar and Randall Bramblett played saxophone. When the band returned, longtime friend and former Aquarium Rescue Unit member Jimmy Herring took on guitar duties.

"We didn't really replace Mikey. We became a different band. But, shoot, that's what it's like in families or any group situation. You lose a guy and you're not the same, but you reform with the dynamic that's available to you then."

Bell says it took a couple of years before he really felt completely comfortable on stage without having Houser in the band.

Bell says there's still adventure in Panic's songwriting.

"Mostly it's the mutual discovery of when you're writing music together, because you don't know what's going to happen. As long as you're open to the process like that then that's what makes it exciting. You avoid the pitfalls of being too controlling or trying to steer the ship. You just get on and let it float downstream and keep your eyes open. Then all of a sudden there's a song unfolding. Someone is looking over on that bank and seeing something unfolding and someone is looking over on that other bank and seeing something. You communicate it and then you get the whole picture."

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Widespread Panic

When: 8 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, April 25-26

Where: Tennessee Theatre

Tickets: Sold out