Helmed by promising indie-pop youngsters The Academy Is… the show also featured label mates, and arguably the hottest band on the planet at the moment, pop-drum and bass and jazz alchemists, Panic! At The Disco.
 | | Panic! At The Disco (pic: Andy Stubbs) |
By the swell of teenage girls, and the buzz in the air, you could tell it was time to dance. Panic! At The Disco, igniting blogs the world over with their truly unique sound, pulsating with beats and synthesizers in some parts, steeped in maudlin, shoegazing pop in others,Ìý had the audience in their gloved palms from the first note. From opener The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage’s electronica laced pop beats, to the tuxedo-swing of There’s a Good Reason These Tables are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven’t Thought Of It Yet, never before has a band been able to market such a truly eclectic style with just enough mainstream sheen to both attract the masses and satisfy the purists. Coupled with exciting onstage dynamics and an image stolen from an Edwardian edition of GQ, this is probably the most intimate venue they’ll play for a while. Finally, hype that is lived up to.
 | | The Academy Is (pic: Andy Stubbs) |
Headlining over Panic! At The Disco, with a roomful of their rabid fans on the come-down from the show they’ve been gearing up to for months is quite a daunting task. The Academy Is… seized it with both hands and made those wishing it was Panic! headlining take notice. Vocalist William Beckett worked the stage with a Jagger-like poise. Whilst the crowd weren’t as crazed as they were for the previous band (school in the morning may have been a factor), the band received a huge ovation for every song, with a large section of the crowd singing every word. The set was mostly made up of songs from their debut Almost Here, but also featured new songs The Fever and Pour Yourself Another Drink from the band’s new album, due in autumn. Ending on the brilliant Black Mamba, without encore, the band rounded up a night that promised so much, and delivered on all counts. Expect to hear a lot more from all involved in 2006.
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