On Friday night, I took off home to relax (nice to have an early-ending week because of this job, though that may change) and then getting ready for 'Panic At The Disco' at Acer Arena. Now, I have to note that my experience with 'Panic At The Disco' is small - but I like their retro-baroque-circus-pop approach, at least from the few tracks that I have heard (and clips I have seen). I'm the sort of person who tunes in when friends of mine (who also have an eclectic music taste) say that they like something. So, I had grabbed some tracks last time they were here, and had a listen to their new album about 2 months ago or so. I was interested in seeing what sort of show they'd put on, too, as they have a reputation for being very Pseudo-Victorian (kind of like Abney Park lite) crossed with a little 1960's sunshine pop. I think one of the things I get jaded with is that bands don't put on as good a show as their albums suggest (or, of course, that the shows they bring 'down south' are just an unfortunately crippled version of their normal shows, because of the tyranny of distance).
So, lysdexic_prose, arby_doll and I arrived at Acer, walked through Security, got our wristbands and headed down into the floor area. I think we got in in time to catch the last 2 songs from 'Cobra Starship'. Of course I had missed the bands title breakout track 'Snakes On A Plane (Bring It)', which was my only exposure to them before tonight. Whilst they had obvious cred from coming off the Warped Tour in the US, what I was seeing (as I had predicted) was a band onstage with a a lot of fun and energy, but with no real 'show' component. Now that being said, and before I get pilloried for being unfair, I believe that the sound was good, the band seemed genuinely happy and energetic, and the audience reaction was more than happy to see these guys onstage. To their credit, we saw them enjoyably bounce through two songs which more than made up for the (what appeared to me to be) somewhat plain stage behind them. Of course they were the first support, but still had their screaming fan-base, which was really good to see - all too often support bands get relegated to the wilderness of 10% attendance as people wait for the headliners.
Having said that, we decided to head outside to grab snacks and drinks and (of course) check out the merchandise. Here I was VERY impressed with the range available, as there was a wide range of clothing, posters, CDs and DVDs available. This is what I expect when I see a merchandise stand, and the wide range was there for all three bands. Of course the pricing was rather prohibitive, but there was still a booming trade being made. After 10 minutes waiting in line, Cobra Starship obviously finished and there was a veritable stampede of younger audience out into the main foyer. I thought it was for the merchandise booth (which it partially was) but mostly (as I quickly discovered) due to a signing/meet & greet, due to start sometime soon - and Cobra Starship fans were damned if they were going to miss out. So, retiring to a table to eat, and drink a little, the line grew and (to be honest) we were so engrossed in conversation that we totally missed 'The Academy Is...' as the main support. I didn't have a lot invested in seeing them, but I assumed that as the main support they would be tearing the arena down and laying the foundations for the main show. I must admit that, even with the doors open to the main arena, we didn't hear much of a reaction at all. There was one BIG cheer that went up, which I can only assume was either a well-known track (perhaps 'Neighbours'?) or more than likely, the introduction of Sydney-born guitarist Michael Chislett. Of course it was at this point when I realised (so did Bekk and Barbs) the average age of the attendees - and I think we'll leave it at that for that part of the observation. Mind you, the second big cheer sounded as 'The Academy Is...' finished and the line for the Meet & Greet (which was at that point 4 people wide, and stretched all the way across the front of the Acer foyer) simply geometrically exploded. We were rather fortuitously placed as about 5 minutes later, Security blocked off the seating area, though leaving the 'older' patrons to their eating/drinking (I'm not sure how Barbs and Bekk felt about being 'older' patrons), and then escorted the members of both 'Cobra Starship' and 'Academy Is...' right past us to their signing tables (about 3 metres away). I think I know firsthand somewhat what Beatlemania was about, after witnessing the reception that the two groups recieved. Nothing too unruly, just really loudly appreciative. Earplugs, how I love thee. Anyway, after staying to watch the signing for a couple of minutes, we decided that it was time to head down to the 'Panic Pit' and get ready for the main show.
It was good to see that there was a stage setup for 'Panic At The Disco'. When the lights went down, the comparison between the responses to the two support bands and PATD, was something you could feel, not just hear. Having said that, I was not expecting the hi-res screen which came to life as soon as the band took to the stage. That impressed me immediately, and I was looking forward to the rest of the spectacle. 'Panic At The Disco' know their audience, and know what they are looking for. What was delivered different to their normal shows, though. It was visually a cross between a retro 60's Psychedelia show, an arena show, and an small pub-show. It's interesting to see a band who (whilst in a venue like Acer Arena) can still make it seem intimate, like a show at The Annandale. The staging was very worthwhile, and inidicative of the stageshow I was looking forward to seeing. Multiple frames around the band comprising of the stage, a fake procenium arch, and a framed screen behind them all led to a depth you don't really get in a normal stage-show. As mentioned before, the hi-res screen (behind the band) was filled with a wonderfully colourful combination of anatomical drawings, animated silhouettes of the band, and a constantly growing and moving garden (the animations were, at times, almost Monty-Pythonesque in their appearance). With microphone stands festooned with flowers, twin bubble-machines (in full force during 'Behind The Sea'), and stage-cotumes which looked more like a snapshot from The Strawberry Alarm Clock in their heyday, they ripped through a good 10 songs with the audience going wild during each number. It was interesting to hear them quiet down when either Brendon [Urie], or Jon [Walker] started chatting to the audience, too. These fans were hanging on their every word. The chat intervals weren't too long though just long enough to strike an intimacy with the large audience, and they pushed all the right buttons with local references, the ubiquitous "Aussie Aussie Aussie!" chant, sly-wink asides referring to "...thinking of maybe moving here" - all calculated to get pops from the (primarily) teen-female audience, and leading into their next number. The illumination of the entire audience by all their mobile phones and cigarette lighters during 'Northern Downpour' was quite magical. Overall, though, the band presents a fairly wholesome image onstage, and not one which suggests that (as mentioned in an interview) they want to actually be the next 'Radiohead'.
Excellent stage-presence, and vocals, notwithstanding, I was looking forward to, hoping for, and (unfortunately) was disappointed in not getting, the whole Victorian circus aspect of their past stageshows. That directly references my earlier comment of 'cut-down versions of overseas productions'. Even though they had decided that the 'Pretty. Odd. Tour' would become a more streamlined show, sans circus performers, I was still hoping to see the full production. I guess that when a band has a good reputation for a good stage-show (as well as their sound) and you mainly only get the (good) sound, it still leaves you a little wistful for what might have been. Perhaps that's just me, as I like the whole package in a show.
Still, in saying that, I was not overly disappointed with their show, in fact I was very impressed with what they did provide as they were just what the doctor orderd for that night. A feel-good show, with a double-barrel encore, which left the audience drained, yet still hoping for just one more song.
