With summer, comes concerts, especially at Jones Beach, a beloved venue of many Long Islanders. One of the many bands that visited Wantagh this year was Panic! at the Disco, and I was lucky enough to attend.

As I stepped out of the sky blue minivan in the Jones Beach Nikon Theater parking lot and walked into the stadium, I felt the tension and excitement build up from the parking lot. As my friend Sam and I walked through the outside stadium, we felt and heard the anticipation of the hundreds of fans waiting inside. The smell of popcorn from the nearby concession stands filled my senses as vendors shouted at people to buy knockoff t-shirts. We found our seats, and waited there until the opening act came on.

As the opening act, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, finished their last song, tension built as almost every Panic! fan in the stadium awaited for their night of thrill and exhilaration to begin. The crowd cheered with anticipation, anxious for the main singer of the band that every fan adored to come out on stage.

Soon enough, the man we’d all been waiting for walked out on stage, and the band started playing the music along to the first song of the set. The concert began with the electric tune “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time” as Brendon Urie’s voice echoed through the crowds and the unison voices of hundreds of fans sang along with the music. As the lead singer performed the first song of the set, an invigorating vibe was set for the rest of the concert, which I had been looking forward to ever since a friend of mine had gotten us tickets. The whole stadium was lit up with cell phone flashlights and music brought by the fans and band.

After two amazingly performed songs, the revolutionary single “Hallelujah”  began to play,; the crowds excitement doubled as people who didn’t even come to see Panic! At The Disco began to sing along with the chorus. After that iconic performance, the energy in the stadium only increased with each song adding to the joy and excitement. Immediately after “Emperor’s New Clothes,” the band began playing their less recent hits such as “Girls/Girls/Boys” and “Nine In The Afternoon” which created an energy unlike any other for my friend Sam and I.

The band even included an amazing cover of Queen’s anthemic song “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which the band put their own twist on. The energy created by this performance perfectly summarized the entire concert.

Witnessing Panic! at the Disco live was an electrifying experience. The songs were perfectly performed and laid out, certainly making that night one that I will never forget.