Adult emo fans were happily panicking at the disco at the rock festival.
Las Vegas transformed from a gambler’s world into an oasis of rock nostalgia, punk attire, and eyeliner sporting fans for two days in mid-October. In addition to the 50 bands performing at the festival, fans were also treated to the first Panic! At The Disco performance delivered by Brendon Urie, the band’s sole original member, in nearly 3 years, including a full set of fan favorite album of “A Fever You Can’t Sweat” at the end of the night. For two nights where the band headlined the festival, tens of thousands of adult rock fans spanning the millennial and Gen Z generations gathered to hear the music that hooked so many on Panic! At The Disco back in the early 2000s— the combination of pop and rock, of Broadway-esque performance and pyrotechnics, of vocal gymnastics and addictive pop-rock melodies . The highly anticipated reunion marked the first time the band has performed together since their performance in Manchester, England in March 2023 on their Death of a Bachelor tour, where the frontman closed a chapter spanning nearly 20 years. Little did fans know, Brendon and company were cooking up something much bigger.
After officially retiring from the rock star life over two years ago, Brendon Urie and company came back in tight black leather pants and all in top form. With the set spanning favorites such as “I Write Sins, Not Tragedies” and ““Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off” and other tunes such as “Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time”— a personal favorite of mine— and “Say Amen (Saturday Night)’ , songs that evoke memories of a simpler time, Urie’s performance was electric and joyous, as the frontman danced, whipped his fluffy black hair, and showed his vocal control and capabilities with every song. Additionally, Urie’s gleeful nature showed he was glad to be back, celebrating two decades of an album that made an indelible mark on the genre.
Although the singer has been away from the spotlight and performing live for years, Urie was still able to hit high notes, and be a showman on stage in the way he can. To top off the set, the band performed “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” twice, with the second performance including Spencer Smith, Panic! At The Disco’s original drummer and Urie’s “oldest friend.” The performance served as a time capsule of sorts, one that kept the rock music of millennials alive, with fire, vocals, and a victorious performance that brought the entire album to life. Seeing jubilant fans scream and sing lyrics while filling the festival grounds from the 7-Eleven stage of the performance to the backend of the exit signs for an album showcases the power of music to connect people and the widespread of a band that dared to set out and reinvent rock.
Additionally, the band announced the deluxe version of the 20th anniversary edition of “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” , paying homage to an album that has shaped the rock scene and defined their sound for a long time. With the release of the album and the band’s successful performance of an album that has been on rotation for many fans over two decades, dedicated fans and newcomers are able to revisit the magic and relive the unapologetic originality and creativity of the band’s discography. With Panic! At The Disco’s performance, for a little while, fans were able to come together and feel like they were indeed young again.
Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco performs at the When We Were Young Festival. Credit: Luther Redd
