As Slam Dunk celebrated its tenth anniversary, America’s pop rock legends Panic! At The Disco were invited to headline the festival.
Marking ten years since the release of their debut album ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out’, the band took to the stage as darkness descended on Leeds for a set that we will never forget.
From fire to backflips, here’s five reasons Panic! At The Disco were the perfect headliners for Slam Dunk Festival 2016.
1. Brendon Urie
Brendon proved exactly why he’s managed to keep the band alive, despite numerous line-up changes, throughout the past 12 years. On hearing Brendon Urie flawlessly sing his way through P!ATD set from the classics including ‘Time To Dance’ through to metalcore screaming in ‘Positive Hardcore Thursday’, the singer is completely underrated on UK soil. Hitting every note seamlessly transitioning from song to song, even straight after a black flip and swapping instruments mid-set, Brendon Urie is everything you want in a frontman and more.
2. Stage production
P!ATD truly made the main stage their own. From fire to glitter, the band pulled out all the stops to ensure their set was one to remember. The staging and lighting were a spectacle in themselves adding to the band’s theatrical vibe making it easy to forget you were standing in the middle of a city centre.
3. Engaging with the crowd
As well as talking to the crowd in-between tracks, the sing-a-longs for hit songs including ‘I Write Sins Not Tragedies’ through to newer release ‘The Ballad Of Mona Lisa’ had the crowd singing at the top of their lungs. The band managed to make the huge festival site a rather intimate show as strangers were yelling the lyrics to each other bonding over the music.
4. Adding a cover song into the mix
Within P!ATD headline set, the band added a cover of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, a brave and bold move, but when your vocals are as strong as Brendon Urie, you need not worry. Adding a cover into the set also allowed those who were not as familiar with the band to join in a mass sing-a-long with Leeds bellowing the lyrics across Millenium Square.
5. Projecting positivity
It was hard not to smile throughout P!ATD show as the band created the perfect festival headline set. From those sing along moments to laughing at their onstage jokes, the guys were there to make sure everyone had a great time – it’s safe to say they succeeded in their mission.
Stay tuned for the rest of our coverage from Slam Dunk Festival across the week and make sure you follow us on Twitter and Facebook to keep up-to-date with the posts!