Confessions of A Fangirl: Panic! at the rock show

Sami Taylor, Lifestyles Editor

So today, I’m going to a concert at Baxter Arena in Omaha, but not just any concert. I’m going to see my favorite band in the whole world! And that band is Panic! at the Disco.

To anyone who has been living under a rock for the last 10 years, Panic! at the Disco is an American “rock” band, with its members being Brendon Urie on everything.

Seriously, he is the only set member of the band, although he does travel with three tour buddies; bassist Dallon Weekes, guitarist Kenneth Harris and drummer Dan Pawlovich.

Now going back to “rock.” Panic! started out with four members: Brendon Urie, Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith and Jon Walker. Their first album, “A Fever you Can’t Sweat Out,” was more punk/emo than rock. With their second album, “Pretty Odd,” they brought out their inner Beatles, or in other words, got high and made an awesome album.

Before the third album was released, Ryan and Jon left the band due to personal reasons. Brendon and Spencer, with help from Dallon Weekes, made an awesome third album together called “Vices and Virtues.” This album goes back to more of the punk feel, but also has a touch of vintage feel to it. The three then put together the band’s fourth album, “Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die.” No rock here, mainly just punk and sadness. After this album was released, Spencer left on personal reasons.

Which brings me to their newest album, “Death of a Bachelor.” Brendon Urie kept the band’s name with all of his band members gone and wrote an awesome album, which is a mix of Sinatra, punk, pop and rock.

My first Panic! album was a burnt disc of “A Fever you Can’t Sweat Out” that my sister gave me because she didn’t like them. I still love her, but not as much as I would if she liked Panic!

For years, I listened to this CD, getting to know all the songs (my favorite being “Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off”).

I listened to this album until “Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die” came out and then I realized how much I missed by being so in love with the Jonas Brothers (if they do announce a tour soon don’t you worry, I will write a column about it), but that’s a story for a different day.

Anyway, I caught up with everything and went to a Panic! concert last summer in Brandon, S.D. IT WAS AMAZING! And hot and humid and I couldn’t see much of it because I’m short. Stupid shortness, making me not see Brendon Urie up close and in person, but the concert was amazing despite everything. I now own every Panic! at the Disco album, because I’m the weirdo who still collects CDs.

Panic! at the Disco is not the type of music that you love because “their songs are so meaningful and the lyrics literally saved my life,” with the exception of one or two songs. I love listening to them because they make me happy when I do listen. They create stories with their music and I’m a story teller. Brendon Urie has an amazing voice and puts a twist on his music that most people wouldn’t even think about. Brendon is so good at what he does and loves doing it because it makes others happy.

Panic! is just one of the many things to distract me from this messed up, twisted world—part of which we have an idiot running. I’m going to have tons of fun tonight with my favorite band.