Widespread Panic Sets ‘Albany 2000’ For Live Archival Release

Widespread Panic is reaching back to one of its most celebrated eras for the latest installment of its live archival series.

The Athens, Georgia band will release Albany 2000 this Friday, August 28. The 18-song collection captures Widespread Panic’s April 9, 2000 performance at the Albany Civic Center in Albany, Georgia, during a spring tour that would rank among the most memorable stretches of the group’s history.

Albany 2000 is the 21st installment of Widespread Panic’s Archive multi-track series. The recording features the classic lineup of John Bell, Michael Houser, JoJo Hermann, Dave Schools, Todd Nance and Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz. Danny Friedman recorded the performance, while Neal Warner handled the digital transfer at the University of Georgia’s Brown Media Archives. Longtime Panic collaborator John Keane mixed and mastered the release, with artwork by Chris Bilheimer.

The Albany concert came just one week after Panic’s legendary three-night, hometown run at Athens’ Classic Center, which kicked off the band’s spring 2000 tour. “From the start, you can hear that the band is still firing on all cylinders and preparing to tackle one of the most memorable years of touring in its history,” an announcement of Albany 2000 on WidespreadPanic.com noted.

That Athens run ultimately became Live in the Classic City, the 2002 archival release drawn from the April 1-3 performances. Those shows featured a remarkable array of guests, including Bill Berry, Derek Trucks, Chuck Leavell, Mike Mills and Col. Bruce Hampton.

Albany found Panic without the guest-heavy setup but with the same formidable six-piece lineup firing on all cylinders. The newly unearthed recording opens with “Little Kin” and “Heroes” before moving through “Stop-Go,” “Galleon,” “One Arm Steve,” “Walk On,” “Fishwater,” “Nobody’s Loss” and “Papa Legba.”

The second set features “Mr. Soul,” “Surprise Valley,” “Papa’s Home,” “Drums,” “Greta,” another appearance of “Papa’s Home” and “Love Tractor.” The band then returns for an encore of Bill Withers’ “Use Me” and the Grateful Dead’s “Cream Puff War.”

Two performances from Albany 2000, “Stop-Go” and “Fishwater,” are already available to stream as a preview of the collection. The latter clocks in at nearly eight minutes, while the “Stop-Go” performance stretches beyond 11 minutes, offering an early glimpse at the improvisational fire captured on the recording.

Physical copies of Albany 2000 are available as a three-CD set, with a commemorative show poster also offered separately. The digital release arrives on August 28 through streaming services, nugs and Bandcamp, where the album is available as a 24-bit/48kHz download.

Widespread Panic will also return to the road this fall, with upcoming performances including two nights in Wilmington, North Carolina on September 18 and 19, a pair of Memphis appearances at Mempho Music Festival, a three-night Milwaukee run and two Halloween shows at New Orleans’ UNO Lakefront Arena. The band will then bring Panic En La Playa back to Riviera Maya in January 2027.

Albany 2000 Tracklist

Set 1

1. Little Kin
2. Heroes
3. Stop-Go
4. Galleon
5. One Arm Steve
6. Walk On
7. Fishwater
8. Nobody’s Loss
9. Papa Legba

Set 2

1. Mr. Soul
2. Surprise Valley
3. Papa’s Home
4. Drums
5. Greta
6. Papa’s Home
7. Love Tractor

Encore

1. Use Me
2. Cream Puff War