Though their music is admirably consistent with an old-time entertainment motif -- rat-a-tatting drums, swirling keys -- Saturday night. Damn!
With the considerable humidity mixing with the heat of thousands of tightly packed, only-just-post-adolescent bodies, hormones and pheromones flashed and sparked through the crowd like heat lighting. The crowd surged to its feet screaming when its young heroes appeared.
Video monitors caught the band members at ludicrously flattering rock star angles. It's impossible not to want to watch and watch and watch these guys. It's very not like watching a Backstreet Boys show.
With his mobile features and Mick Jagger School of Stage Movement emoting, Brendan Urie is long-waisted and somewhat pretty. He is what Jude Law would be if Law were a college sophomore fronting a rock band. Working an enormous pair of eyes, Urie sang in a good, if unschooled, tenor while playing keys and guitar.
Stage right, songwriter Ryan Ross sang backup -- harmonizing rather nicely with Urie -- and handled lead guitar duties. He's obviously not the guy interested in being the center of attention. An Oliver Twist cap pulled down over his face, his round-cheeked appeal was radiantly apparent. It's easy to imagine he says "please" and "thank you" to the tech when he changes out guitars during the set.
It's always interesting to watch a band's drummer. Is he palpably sullen, brooding over how low he rates with the chicks into the band? Or does he look so geeked to just be at his drum kit that he functions as a goodwill ambassador? Spencer Smith didn't appear to be brooding, perhaps because of the love fest between the band and the cameras. He's still young, but it was good to see him playing with enthusiasm and a rather fierce attack.
Stories about Panic! at the Disco never mention Chicago native Jon Walker. Maybe it has to do with the legalities surrounding original bass player Brent Wilson's departure. At any rate, Walker, sporting a beard perhaps to announce his status as Panic's elder statesman, is a good player, no two ways about it.
The underwater melodies, harmonizing and keys of Panic! at the Disco's electric-emo are reminiscent of the dampish sounds of The Cure. For the first song of the encore, Urie sang the Counting Crows' "Round Here" solo. The ambiguous desire in his voice could make for obsessive listening.
