While there were a few OG tracks peppered into the setlist to keep the longtime Panic fans happy with a fair amount of pent up teenage emo angst, with “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” and “Nine In The Afternoon” playing off each other nicely, a vast majority of the setlist focused on the last three albums that Urie has released, with “Hallelujah” and fellow Death of a Bachelor tune “Crazy = Genius” bringing a different feel to the room than their sonic predecessors. The setting seemed to be as optimal for the ever-energetic Urie as it was for the legions of screaming fans that sang along to every word of every song, as relentless energy and enthusiasm was reciprocated from both sides of the barricade. The first four songs of the 29-song set came and went at break-neck speed, but the party was only getting started as the Las Vegas-bred frontman basked in the fruits of his 15-year labor of love, smiles galore. started the night with a confetti-filled “(Fuck A) Silver Lining” followed by a flurry of other fan-favorite dance grooves including “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time”, “Ready to Go” and “Hey Look Ma, I Made It!”. Putting the pedal to metal from the get-go, Urie and co. It was New Year’s Eve all over again as the crowd chanted the digits down to zero, the lights went out, and the inner 15-year-old in everyone unleashed simultaneously as the man of the hour, Brendon Urie, sprang up from a hole in the stage like the world’s most angelic pop-tart. The somewhat somber weight of Dess’ set seemed to linger for a bit - until Weezer’s cover of Toto’s “Africa” blared through the sound system, and the 10-minute countdown on the screens behind the stage began to tick. Only a few months removed from stating that he didn’t want his story “to end just yet” after an apparent suicide attempt, Dess’ performance in front of a crowd that drenched him in adoration was triumphant and heartfelt, to say the least, as he closed his set with “Go Fuck Yourself,” the song that started it all for him. The emotion of his music oozed through the sound system as he soulfully cranked out a number of soothing, yet soaring guitar solos while sauntering coast to coast on the stage, basked in an intense blue light that only added to the singer-songwriter’s solemn stage presence. Two Feet, the New York indie rock fella and Berklee dropout who, only two-and-a-half short years ago, was nowhere near an opening slot on one of the hottest tours of the last year, cashiering in the Big Apple before his big break came. Turning it down a few notches was Bill Dess a.k.a. While packaged in a short time on stage, the home of the Monarchs transformed into Whoville as the stand-alone vocalist packed a punch that balanced a mix of power-pop and a rock and roll swagger that set the tone for the rest of the evening. Delivering the second leg of their critically-acclaimed “Pray For The Wicked” tour to the Granite State, Panic! At The Disco only further cemented their still-growing legacy as one of the most energetic and engaging live bands on the road today, pulling out all the stops to curate a night the packed house would not soon forget.Īustralian-born, Berklee-educated synth-pop standout Betty Who got the show started with an energetic set that brought the bass early on, complete with a pair of choreographed dancers who, more often than not, were draped all over the singer in many… err, compromising positions.
If crazy equals genius, then Brendon Urie is a fuckin’ arsonist - and he certainly brought the heat to a sold-out SNHU Arena in Manchester on Sunday night (January 13).