After years of touring and building a fan base, Widespread Panic is finally set to release their first-ever live CD.|

Mike Houser, Panic's lead guitarist, told JAMTV on Thursday that it's about time they released an album of this kind. "I'm excited we're finally putting out a live product. We had been taping shows for about two years." The result: Light Fuse, Getaway.

The two-CD set contains songs from all five Panic albums as well as unrecorded tracks. They chose the songs from shows they played during 1997, although Panic recorded more than 200 shows for the project. "One of the focuses was to pick songs that have never been on any album before," Houser said. "Once we did that, we went for jams and songs that let us stretch out. But we did put on a few short songs to keep people from getting lost."

In addition to original songs, the band recorded a cover of Talking Heads' "PaPa Legba," which they often perform live. As a bonus, Panic decided to add "Gimme," a song Houser calls a "rarity" since they only play it about once a year.

Houser said the entire process -- recording, picking songs, mixing -- took more than a year. John Keane, who has produced a few of Panic's albums in the past, worked with the band on Light Fuse, Getaway. "John had a lot of material to work with. There's three hours of music [on the album] and I just picture John pulling his hair out mixing it all. It was a very involved process."

Light Fuse, Getaway, which was named for the instructions on a fireworks package the band saw years ago, is set to hit stores on April 24. Around that same time Panic is planning to stage a free outdoor concert in their hometown of Athens, Ga.

"One of our manager's spoke with the [Athens] city planner and mayor to get their reaction. That was our biggest hurdle." Houser said the city officials like the idea and now have to put the final plans on paper. The concert should happen in the third week of April, and if Panic gets their way, it's going to be a big party. "We want to block off the streets and have it right smack in the middle of the city." (Ari Bendersky)

Track listing for Light Fuse, Getaway:

1. CD One:
2. Porch Song/Jam
3. Disco
4. Diner
5. Wondering
6. Love Tractor
7. Pickin' Up The Pieces
8. Pilgrims
9. Space Wrangler
10. Travelin' Light
11. Conrad

1. CD Two:
2. PaPa Legba
3. Rebirtha
4. Rock
5. Greta
6. Barstools & Dreamers
7. Impossible/Jam
8. Drums
9. Gimme
10. Pigeons