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Las Vegas natives Panic! at the Disco are still renowned for their springboard success of their debut album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, which encompassed their hit single, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” For over a decade now, the rockers have sustained their popularity with four subsequent albums that have all managed to make the top 10 on the Billboard charts, not excluding last year’s No. 1 Death of Bachelor, the surname for their current nationwide tour. You’d think with all this longstanding popularity they’d get event the slightest bit fatigued after a while, but these guys don’t seem to plan on relenting any time soon. Death of Bachelor, recorded just before lead vocalist Brendon Urie’s wedding, was an ode to a former lifestyle and the celebration of the band’s collection of accolades and achievements over the years, an album that seemingly comes full circle in the evolution of PATD. Their latest installment utilizes every weapon in their arsenal to deliver a smorgasbord mash-up of varying genres, all while maintaining the idiosyncrasies that constitute Panic’s sound. Brendon Urie continues to melt hearts, from the members of his initial 2005 emo cabaret, to today’s newfound fans who enjoy the innovative style of this timeless band.
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SAINT MOTEL and Misterwives were perfect selections to provide support for PATD, given their fresh appeal and innate capability to enthrall the crowds of any age. Both provided jam-packed sets from their catalogs that got the crowd up, moving, and fully engaged. Misterwives even performed a cover of Chance The Rapper’s, “Same Drugs” much to the excitement of the younger attendees.
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The fully charged audience appeared to simultaneously have a conniption the instant Panic! took to the stage. With an elaborate setup complete with a kaleidoscope of colors, the visual appeal of the spectacle was enough to invoke a sense of wonder and leave one awestruck. Wearing a golden, fitted suit jacket, leather pants and a contagious smile, frontman Urie enthusiastically made his way to center stage as, “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time,” began to ring throughout the venue. In cohort recognition the crowd began to sing along. They did the same to the unmistakable catchiness of, “LA Devotee,” and “Ready to Go” as young girls screamed at the top of their lungs and danced uncontrollably. Thereafter the maestro’s played randomized selections derived from their first album, much to the delight of their diehard fans. They then segued back into their more recent numbers, including DOAB‘s “Hallelujah” and Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!‘s “Miss Jackson,” with each chorus being met with perfect harmony from every crowd-goer. The party never stopped. There wasn’t a moment of silence between any of the selections, as each was filled with synth-infused intermissions and overtures brimming with genre-defying bass and funky vibes.
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Suddenly, Urie disappeared from the stage, and the entire room became eerily dark. A few minutes passed, and the midsection suddenly erupted into chaos as the lights shone down on a grand piano with the singer perched on a bench, stroking the keys to the melody of “This is Gospel.” The platform slowly ascended into the air, twirling daintily, and bout half way up as the singer bellowed the lyrics, “If you love me let me go!” a stream of confetti rained down gracefully, engulfing him and the audience below as they cheered on in amazement. When the piano touched back down, Urie took a slow victory lap through the crowd back towards the stage, stopping to shake hands, give out hugs, and even take a few selfies.
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After making his way back to the platform, Urie proclaimed, “You guys give great hugs!” as he transitioned into crooning the velvety lyrics to the title track, “Death of a Bachelor” then Vices and Virtue‘s “Ballad of Mona Lisa.” Fans swooned as he threw in an emotive cover of Billy Joel’s “I’m Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)”. Ghoulish imagery then appeared on the backdrop screens, befitting for “The Emperor’s New Clothe’s,” and flames emitted from the base of the stage in tandem to the words of “Let’s Kill Tonight” sending the fans in to a fury. Urie continued to surprise his constituents, revving up the tone of the night even more as he took to the drums at the apex of the stage, laying into the percussion for a cover of Bruno Mars’s “24K Magic” and Rihanna’s “B*tch Better Have My Money”.
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The lights dimmed completely, and Urie unabashedly expressed his disdain for “everyone in the White House right now.” At the start of the night, fans were given randomized, glowing, colorful hearts upon arrival, which the band called for them to raise in unison to, “Girls, Girls, Boys” an anthemic number supporting the LGBT community, and for a moment all that was visible was an illuminated sea of rainbows in the bleak darkness. He then transitioned into a cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” on which he had full, unwavering crowd participation.
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At the night’s conclusion, in a lighthearted manner, Urie exclaimed, “and now, for an unreleased track that you’ve never heard before” as the clearly recognizable tune of, “I Write Sins, Not Tragedies” echoed through the venue halls. This was an evident crowd favorite, and seemingly the most anticipated part of the night, as everyone suddenly cut loose in full-blown, non-inhibited release. The final number for the evening was the boastful, “Victorious” a triumphant conclusion to a show well put on without a disappointed soul to be found.
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Photos and story by: Meme Urbane
