On October 19, pop-rock band Panic! At The Disco stunned longtime fans with a headlining reunion set celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out at the When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas. The 2005 record became a generational touchstone for its theatrical lyricism and cabaret-inspired production that defined mid-2000s emo and pop-rock. The live performance also marked the band’s first live appearance since their farewell show in Manchester in 2023.
The setlist served as a time capsule, bringing back hits like “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” “Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off,” and “But It’s Better If You Do.” Fans erupted when frontman Brendon Urie introduced “his oldest friend,” original drummer Spencer Smith, who joined the band onstage for the encore to perform “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” one more time (It was Smith’s first time performing with the band since leaving back in 2013.) It was a rare moment of full-circle closure for a group whose sound once shaped an entire wave of emo kids.
For many, the reunion reaffirmed Panic!’s place in the modern rock canon. The performance bridged nostalgia and renewal, hinting at how A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out continues to ripple through artists who blend showmanship, humor, and heartbreak in pop music today.
