It’s Pretty Odd How Panic Has Improved

By MARLI LEE MCGARRAH

The Honda Civic Tour rolled into Rochester Institute of Technology on May 6, bringing with it headliners Panic at the Disco, who put on their best performance yet.

Compared to the last time the guys ventured into Western New York, this was a way better show. Maybe it was the lack of exotic dancers, ringleaders and an overly theatrical theme clouded by makeup. Maybe it was the supporting bands, or the addition of their newly released sophomore album “Pretty Odd” to their set list that made Panic seem like better performers this time around.

The first band to hit the stage was Phantom Planet. Lead singer Alex Greenwald had to start the show on his own but the rest of the band joined him onstage during the second song. Their tardiness didn’t faze the band as Planet was still able to put on a good set, performing songs off new album “Raise the Dead” and of course the O.C.’s classic theme song, “California.”

After Phantom Planet, the Hush Sound opened with “Medicine Man” and brought to the stage such an amazing set that the crowd was confused as to who should really be headlining the show. The Chicago band strayed from older songs, only performing “Crawling Towards the Sun” and “We Intertwined” and stayed consistent with streaming from their newly released third album, “Goodbye Blues.” With songs like “Honey” and “As You Cry,” the Hush Sound got the crowd to sing and dance along to every note.

Between and during sets the crowd was growing and growing.

RIT was big but these bands could certainly overfill a room especially when you have Motion City Soundtrack on the bill. Performing songs like “Fell in Love Without You,”"Time Turned Fragile” and “My Favorite Accident,” from all three of their albums, Motion City Soundtrack played a good long set that kept the crowd moving and entertained.

Around 9:30 Panic at the Disco finally hit the stage. In a decorative atmosphere filled with flowers and a screen displaying colorful images, the band opened up with “We’re So Starving” that streamed right into “Nine in the Afternoon.” Playing a mixture of their two albums, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” and “Pretty Odd.” Being the crowd pleasers that they are, it wasn’t hard for Panic to arouse excitement. This time around the band seemed more comfortable with themselves, the crowd and the music they were playing. In a bigger, less intimate setting than last time, the band was more connected with the crowd than ever before and in between the verses and notes of “Behind the Sea” and “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage,” Ryan Ross, Brendon Urie, Jon Walker and Spencer Smith, along with the entire room, were at home with each other. Halfway into their set, lead singer Brendon Urie performed “Time to Dance” acoustically while the crowd sang the piano part as the rest of band took a break. They reunited in “Folkin’ Around” and ended the show with “Mad as Rabbits.”

After the show all the bands stuck around to meet their fans. Most of them came out right after their sets but I’m not quite sure if Panic ever did come out. Either way, it was a good night and probably one of the best shows of this year. Even Warped Tour will have to work hard to beat this one.

Marli Lee McGarrah is a junior at Buffalo Seminary.

Originally published by NeXt Correspondent.

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