Still Sweating Out Panic! At the Disco’s Live in Denver
The Live Show that Continues to be Iconic Twenty Years Later
by Crystal Zamora B’28 published on November 6th, 2025
The Live Show that Continues to be Iconic Twenty Years Later
by Crystal Zamora B’28 published on November 6th, 2025
Courtesy of Panic! At the Disco - Live in Denver (Full Performance)
I first came across Panic! At the Disco during my early teens, knee-deep in my emo phase when my music taste was solely curated by randomly selected 2000s Emo/Pop Punk playlists I had saved on YouTube. It was through one of these playlists that I stumbled upon the band’s renowned debut album A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. The moment I hit play on the opening track, I was instantly captivated by the lively instrumentals, the catchy lyrics, and the cabaret-inspired theme that is the defining aesthetic of the album. Upon discovering it, I spent countless hours in my childhood bedroom watching low quality clips of the band’s live performances from the album’s tour. The one I watched on loop, in particular, was their acclaimed “Live in Denver” show.
This past September, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out reached its 20th anniversary and, to the delight of many early Panic! At the Disco fans (myself included), the audio recordings of the band’s legendary “Live in Denver” show were uploaded to streaming services for the first time. Alongside the audio recordings, a high quality filmed version of the full performance was posted to the band’s official YouTube channel.
The reason that “Live in Denver” continues to be a favorite live performance among fans can be attributed to a number of reasons. The show encapsulates the fun and theatrical style of the band at the time because songs were not only being sung on stage, but also performed with choreography done by circus performers and burlesque dancers.
This completely transformed the stage into a carnival vaudeville inspired production that mirrored the album perfectly and immersed fans even further into the world that the band had created within their music. Everything from the amazing set design, the visuals, the energy, the live instrumentals, the dancers, and the on-theme outfits/costumes tied the show together. Even smaller details, like the seamless transitions from song to song, created an experience that can’t be replicated at any other point in time.
Additionally, the show offers a glimpse of the band members at the time, including lead vocalist Brendon Urie, drummer Spencer Smith, bassist Jon Walker, and guitarist and lyricist Ryan Ross. Ross’s presence is particularly notable because he helped shape the band’s identity during this era as its creative visionary and contributed raw vocals during live performances that added dimension to the band’s developing sound. After his split from the band in 2009, many fans love to revisit “Live in Denver” for the nostalgia of his captivating presence on stage that is forever encapsulated within the show.
The performance also included some iconic covers by the band of other incredible songs such as “Tonight, Tonight” by The Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead’s “Karma Police.” The band’s blend of pop punk and baroque pop music accompanied by vaudeville and cabaret influenced theatre created a unique image that set them apart from other alternative bands at the time. This eccentric theme that first made so many fans fall in love with Panic! At the Disco is perfectly captured in “Live in Denver,” which continues to serve as a time capsule of the band’s early aesthetic that fans can return to and relive again and again.
A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out remains one of my favorite albums to date, taking me back to my early adolescence every time I listen to it. It’s a record that remains timeless and only gets better with age. Revisiting the “Live in Denver” show many years later as a result of its recent re-release reminded me of why it continues to be so beloved by both myself and the many fans who grew up with it.