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Panic! At The Disco Bid Emotional Farewell at Manchester’s AO Arena [Photos]

Brendon Urie brought down the curtain on Panic! At The Disco at an emotional Manchester AO Arena. Check out the photos here.

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Panic! At The Disco, photo by Graham Finney Photography

What was originally billed as the final night of their long-awaited “Viva Las Vengeance” tour took on an extra ounce of importance when Panic! At The Disco main man Brendon Urie announced that the emo/alternative group would be disbanding after the show.

So, with that in mind and worries that a flash snowstorm would bring this emotional night crashing to a half-attended end, there were plenty of nerves ahead of the show. Thankfully, the sun shone through in Manchester, allowing a sold-out crowd to give Brendon an emotional send-off.

The party started with American singer-songwriter Fletcher who bounced around the stage whipping up the venue with her alt-pop anthems. Surprisingly well-received given the unique nature of the night, Fletcher was all smiles as she warmed up a crowd who, in all honesty, didn’t need it but lapped it up all the same.

As for the headliners, despite being essentially the Brendon Urie solo show since 2015, the name Panic! At The Disco has left a massive mark on the emo/alternative rock scene with two of their biggest hits, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” and “High Hopes” amassing a combined total of over a billion views on YouTube. Now, bearing in mind that the AO Arena in Manchester holds just twenty-one thousand fans, those who had grabbed the golden ticket would witness something very special.

Despite being an emotional night, Urie didn’t show it as he danced about the stage, barely hiding the huge grin on his face. Known for their polished productions, Panic! At The Disco made sure tonight was no different for hardcore fans who had travelled from far and wide to be here right to the very end.

The only strange point in the night, and judging by recent press reviews, something levelled at earlier shows in the tour, was the choice of setlist. Given that Urie has written some of emo’s biggest hits, the choice to perform their Viva Las Vengeance album in its entirety during the set was something of an unusual one. That being said, the crowd lapped it up, especially when, either side of the album, the set was peppered with some of the biggest emo hits of the last twenty or so years.

An hour and three quarters later and Panic! At The Disco were done. The house lights went up as Urie headed off to impending fatherhood, and twenty-one thousand fans filed out into the freezing Friday night air, having had one final chance to say thank you to a man who, for most of them, has been a part of their lives for as long as they can remember.

Check out the setlist and photos from Panic! At The Disco’s final set here:

1. Say Amen (Saturday Night)
2. Hey, Look Ma, I Made It
3. Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time
4. This Is Gospel
5. Miss Jackson
6. Emperor’s New Clothes
7. Viva Las Vengeance

Viva Las Vengeance Section

8. Middle of a Breakup
9. Don’t Let the Light Go Out
10. Local God
11. Star Spangled Banger
12. God Killed Rock and Roll
13. Say It Louder
14. Sugar Soaker
15. Something About Maggie
16. Sad Clown
17. All by Yourself
18. Do It to Death
19. Girls/Girls/Boys
20. House of Memories
21. Nine in the Afternoon
22. Death of a Bachelor
23. I Write Sins Not Tragedies
24. Victorious
25. High Hopes

I have an unhealthy obsession with bad horror movies, the song Wanted Dead Or Alive and crap British game shows. I do this not because of the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle it affords me but more because it gives me an excuse to listen to bands that sound like hippos mating.

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