[Update 11/15/25]: Athens, GA local hero John Bell of Widespread Panic sang the national anthem ahead of the University of Georgia football game against the University of Texas on Saturday this Saturday, November 15th. Bell’s pre-game performance between the hedges at Sanford Stadium will come as part of a larger collaboration between the University of Georgia and Widespread Panic on game day including an officially licensed merch capsule, a pop-up experience at the Georgia Theatre, and more.
Below, watch a crowd-captured video of John Bell’s national anthem ahead of Georgia’s big win against Texas (Go dawgs). Scroll down to read more about the rest of yesterday’s planned Panic events in Athens surrounding game day.
John Bell (Widespread Panic) Sings National Anthem Before University of Georgia Game – Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA
[Originally published 11/13/25]: Athens, GA local hero John Bell of Widespread Panic will sing the national anthem ahead of the University of Georgia football game against the University of Texas this Saturday, November 15th. Bell’s pre-game performance between the hedges at Sanford Stadium will come as part of a larger collaboration between the University of Georgia and Widespread Panic this weekend including an officially licensed merch capsule, a pop-up experience at the Georgia Theatre, and more.
John Bell’s performance of the national anthem is scheduled to take place ahead of Saturday’s S.E.C. matchup between the No. 10-ranked Texas Longhorns and the No. 5-ranked Georgia Bulldogs in Athens. The game will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast/streamed via ABC. Find last-minute tickets to the game here.
Produced in collaboration with Class Trip—the licensed apparel company that recently teamed with Nike, the University of Oregon, and the Grateful Dead for last month’s Grateful Ducks Night campaign—the Widespread Panic x University of Georgia merch collaboration is, per a press release, “a limited-edition apparel capsule that unites UGA’s storied school spirit with the soulful heritage of the band that began in Athens. Rooted in the creative energy of the Classic City, the collection includes headwear, hoodies, t-shirts, knitwear, and a retro bomber jacket, each inspired by the band’s formative years playing campus parties and local haunts like the Mad Hatter Ballroom and Uptown Lounge.” The new collection goes on sale on Friday, November 14th at 11:00 ET exclusively via Class Trip here.
In addition to the merch capsule and the John Bell national anthem at Sanford Stadium on November 15th, the Widespread Panic x University of Georgia festivities this weekend will include a game day Class Trip pop-up event at Athens’ famed Georgia Theatre, where limited quantities of Widespread Panic x University of Georgia apparel collection will be for sale and a newly remastered version of the Panic in the Streets concert film will be shown between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Widespread Panic, which formed at the University of Georgia nearly 40 years ago and cut its teeth performing in Athens, will also mark the moment with the first-ever vinyl release of Athens 1998. The archival recording, first released earlier this year as the 16th installment of the rockers’ live multi-track series, immortalizes the band’s free performance in the streets of Athens following the release of Light Fuse, Get Away.
An estimated 100,000 fans gathered for the concert, surpassing Metallica’s for “largest album release party.” The performance also saw the debut of several new songs including “All Time Low”, “Christmas Katie”, and “One Arm Steve” that would later appear on the band’s 1999 album, Til The Medicine Takes. The show was filmed and featured in parts on the 2002 DVD Panic in the Streets. It was later documented in Gordon Lamb‘s book Widespread Panic In The Streets Of Athens, Georgia.
This will mark the first time the show as been released on vinyl. Athens 1998 vinyl records are due to be released on December 19th 2025. In the meantime, you can listen the recently remastered mix of the show by the band’s longtime producer John Keane on major streaming platforms, Bandcamp, and nugs. Athens 1998 is also available on CD at independent records stores and the band’s website.
Lifestyle and apparel brand Class Trip, founded by a University of Georgia alum, partners with popular teams, resorts, and musicians to create products that speak to who fans are and what they love. Rooted at the intersection of music, sport, and heritage apparel, Class Trip creates garments high-quality garments with official licenses spanning universities, leagues, resorts, and legendary bands, bridging campus nostalgia with contemporary style and celebrates the moments that make up a real good time. Shop here.
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Widespread Panic is set to close out its 2025 touring year with a three-night run at Port Chester, NY’s The Capitol Theatre (11/21, 11/22, 11/23) and a three-show New Year’s run at Atlanta, GA’s The Fox Theatre (12/29, 12/30, 12/31).
From there, Panic will dive into its 40th-anniversary year in 2026 with the 13th edition of the band’s all-inclusive concert getaway, Panic En La Playa (1/20–1/23), and a two-night Valentine’s Day run at Austin, TX’s Moody Center (2/14, 2/15).
Find tickets for upcoming Widespread Panic tour dates here. You can also access a vast library of live recordings by the band via nugs here. Check out a promotional video for the WP x UGA x Class Trip collab below.
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