On March 24, Panic! At The Disco lived up to the high hopes that I had in anticipation of their performance.
Following last years release of the band’s sixth studio album, ‘Pray for the Wicked,’ the band’s popularity has increased immensely, with some super-fans queuing overnight to get the best possible spot.
Credit: Abigail Wilson
Supported by A R I Z O N A and MØ, Vegas born Brendon Urie took to the stage at the sold-out SSE Hydro, in Glasgow, as the only original member of the hugely successful rock band.
Unfortunately for A R I Z O N A, the doors opened over an hour late, and the venue was half empty until halfway through their set. However, lead singer, Zachary Charles, fired up the audience with his powerful vocals, which reminded me a lot of Imagine Dragons.
After a short interlude, MØ took to the stage. I was about ten rows from the barriers, and for me, I found the lighting and background music overpowering at times. To start off with, her vocals were inaudible, but she closed with two strong vocal numbers. By the time she sang her ‘Final Song’, the audience were ready for the main show.
As a ten minute countdown appeared on the big screen, the tension was building in the crowd. When the clock reached zero, Brendon Urie and the band kicked off their set with a crowd favourite, ‘(F**k A) Silver Lining’.
Urie’s unique sound and impressive vocal range was a common theme throughout the evening. The band played almost constantly for two hours, with only a couple of small breaks to speak to the crowd or to re-hydrate. With twenty-eight songs in total, the audience certainly got value for their money.
Credit: Abigail Wilson
Mid-way through the set, as is common in the Hydro, Urie made his way to the centre of the arena, where a piano was waiting for him. He was raised fifty feet up in the air, as the audience’s torches illuminated the venue during a couple of acoustic numbers.
The most iconic performance of the night was “girls/girls/boys”. The crowd were united in belting out the lyrics – ‘Love is not a choice’. Pride flags covered the stage by the end of the number, and Urie used his platform to stand up to homophobia and transphobia, and show his support for the LGBT community.
In a jam-packed encore full of songs new and old, P!ATD played ‘Say Amen’ (Saturday Night), ‘I Write Sins Not Tragedies’ and ended with ‘Victorious’. I felt like I had been transported six years back in time – an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia consumed me by the time the final curtain closed.
In a sentence, the band’s performance was neither a sin nor a tragedy, more a musical masterclass.
The crowd left in high spirits. One audience member, Charlene Grigaitis Schickler told Brig: “Going to see Panic! At The Disco combined memories of my childhood, teen years and adult life. I was floored by how amazing the performance factor was, they put on one hell of a show.”
After sixteen years as Panic! At The Disco’s front man, Urie has proven that he still has a lot left to give. Although the band has changed over the years, in terms of both members and style, Urie’s stunning vocal range and his natural ability to play to the crowd, continues to impress audiences.
Fourth-year BA (Hons) Journalism Studies student.
News Editor, Sports Editor and Head of Proofreading for Brig Newspaper.
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