While they hail from Georgia, beloved jam band Widespread Panic have made Milwaukee a temporary home nearly every year since 2006, playing a multi-night residency that sells out almost as quickly as that first show did. On Monday, they announced that the 2026 three-night run will happen Oct. 23-25 at the Riverside Theater.
At this point, Widespread Panic have performed dozens of shows in Milwaukee, making an annual visit with occasional interruptions from seismic events like a global pandemic and lead guitarist Jimmy Herring’s treatment for tonsil cancer in 2024. That most recent hiatus was thankfully a temporary one, as the band returned in 2025 and will continue the new streak this October.
Tickets for all three Widespread Panic shows go on sale at 10 a.m. this Saturday, June 20, online via AXS and at the Pabst/Riverside box offices.
Artist bio
Widespread Panic’s more than 40-year existence started when original members vocalist/guitarist John "JB" Bell, bassist Dave Schools and late guitarist Michael Houser met as students not far from the University of Georgia campus. The solidified its lineup with the additions of drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboard player John "JoJo" Hermann and Duane Trucks also on drums.
Since that roster came together in 1986, Widespread Panic are still hungry to be the best band they can be, every single night, for their loyal fan base. During their impressive run, the band has released 12 studio albums and dozens of live albums, selling more than 3 million copies as one of the most successful touring acts in the world.
Widespread Panic have also broken attendance records at major venues throughout the country, including a staggering 75 sold-out shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. A banner hangs in the rafters at Philips Arena in Atlanta, where the band has 18 sellouts, with records also set at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Oak Mountain Amphitheater near Birmingham, Alabama, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, where Panic has headlined eight times, breaking the single day attendance record with 63,000.
The band has headlined most of the major U.S. festivals, including Bonnaroo eight times, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Lockn' Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival, Forecastle Festival, Phases of the Moon, Rothbury Festival, All Good Music Festival, Gathering of the Vibes and many more.
To commemorate Widespread Panic's 25th anniversary in 2011, the State of Georgia's Senate and House of Representatives passed resolutions honoring the group for their music, service, charity and longevity. They were also inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
