Once upon a time (actually, 2001) when Synthesis.net was first standing to make a name for itself in the internet game, one of our correspondents, the lovely Laney Erokan wrote a review of a Dave Matthews show in Las Vegas that featured some hippie band named Widespread Panic as openers. She wasn’t exactly feeling Widespread Panic, writing in her review:

if I could think of any word worse than “suck” to describe a band I would use it. Macy Gray also opened and for some reason she played before Widespread Panic (bad decision), so we missed Macy instead of missing Widespread Panic and had to sit through an hour of shite…long, drawn-out jams, barely any vox and just plain boring music. The only thing that kept us entertained through the hour of crap was the hippies on ecstasy

Big deal, right? I mean, so what if someone writing for some shitty website doesn’t like a band, especially one that already has a solid enough fan base. You would think it wouldn’t be a big deal, but no, all of a sudden cyber hippies were coming out of the woodwork, e-mailing us all sorts of vulgar comments and even threats of violence. Peace and love apparently go out the window when Widespread Panic is involved.

I bring this up as a warning to budding music journalists out there, as the band is set to embark upon a summer tour, including a stop at this year’s Bonnaroo Music Festival. DON’T TALK SHIT ABOUT WIDEPSREAD PANIC! You might find your prize race horse’s head laying next to you in your bed the next morning…

Dates after the jump

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I’ve never even heard of the Rothbury Festival, but I’ll be damned, my favorite boys Ant and Sluggo from Atmosphere are playing it! As well as: (in alpha-fricken-betical order which was a biatch, fyi, you’rewelcomeverymuch)…

311 + A3 + ATMOSPHERE + BASSNECTAR + THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS + BETH ORTON + BETTYE LAVETTE + THE BLACK KEYS + BOOMBOX + BRETT DENNEN + BROTHER ALI + BUSDRIVER + CITIZEN COPE + COLBIE CAILLAT + CRYSTAL METHOD DJ SET + DAVE MATTHEWS BAND + DEAD CONFEDERATE + DEREK TRUCKS AND SUSAN TEDESCHI SOUL STEW REVIVAL + DIPLO + THE DISCO BISCUITS + DJ REKHA + DJ ROOTZ + THE DRESDEN DOLLS + DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS + THE DYNAMITES FEATURING CHARLES WALKER + EMMITT-NERSHI BAND + EOTO + ETOWN RADIO SHOW + FLOSSTRADAMUS + FOUR FINGER FIVE + GREENSKY BLUEGRASS + THE GREYBOY ALLSTARS + GOGOL BORDELLO + GOV’T MULE + INGRID MICHAELSON + JJ GREY & MOFRO + JAKOB DYLAN AND THE GOLD MOUNTAIN REBELS + JOHN MAYER + THE JUAN MACLEAN + KELLER WILLIAMS WITH MOSELEY + DROLL & SIPE + KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH BAND + LOTUS + MEDESKI MARTIN AND WOOD + MICHAEL FRANTI AND SPEARHEAD + MICKEY HART BAND FEATURING STEVE KIMOCK AND GEORGE PORTER JR. + MIKE GORDON + MODEST MOUSE + MOTION POTION + OF MONTREAL + PANJEA WITH MICHAEL KANG + PERPETUAL GROOVE + PHIL LESH AND FRIENDS + PNUMA TRIO + PRIMUS + RAILROAD EARTH + RODRIGO Y GABRIELA + SAGE FRANCIS + SAM BEAM OF IRON AND WINE + THE SECRET MACHINES + SLIGHTLY STOOPID + SOJORN + SNOOP DOGG (!!!!!) + STATE RADIO + STEEL PULSE + STS9 + TAJ MAHAL + TEA LEAF GREEN + THIEVERY CORPORATION + TRAMPLED BY TURTLES + THE WAILERS FEATURING ELAN + WIDESPREAD PANIC + YARD DOGS ROAD SHOW + YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND FEATURING JON FISHMAN + ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA

The music festival revolution goes down July 3rd through the 6th in Rothbury, Michigan. Getchur tickets here.

Here are a few of the records hitting stores today. Recognize.

Advent Remove The Earth

Secret and Whisper Great White Whale

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