This is Gospel

Kris
Aug 12, 2014
4 min read

The cruel side of me snickers imagining the misguided souls who saw “gospel tour” and thought they’d be enjoying an evening of gospel music. The ease in which ‘fuck’ slid off Brendon Urie’s lips and the blunt way he spoke (and sang) of sex make it apparent that this show was far from showcasing the genre of Christian music. But then, there was also the fact that he performed shirtless for most of their set and that the stained glass illuminated on large tv screens were not for worship but to reference the music video of “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” in which Urie interrupts a wedding with the revelation that the bride sleeps around.

I don’t actually know if anyone was that terribly ignorant to the true nature of the show; I’d hope everyone would do their homework first.

But it does seem a bit of a misnomer here. The tour name comes from the opening track from Panic! at the Disco’s most recent album Too Weird to Live, to Rare to Die! (October 2013). In the song “This is Gospel" Urie explains that:

This is gospel for the vagabonds, ne're-do-wells and insufferable bastards Confessing their apostasies led away by imperfect impostors

Those familiar with Panic! at the Disco will hear “Gospel Tour” and hear “for…” trailing behind. Here, Panic! at the Disco doesn’t reject religion, but they do exploit it for its symbolism and simultaneously suggest something alternative. In this way, the name of the tour is also perfect, leaving us to fill in the blank for ourselves. What then is the vagabond's gospel?

For me, the second opener, WALK THE MOON actually preached it best in their introduction to “I Can Lift a Car.”

Nicholas Petricca told the crowd to take all of their fears and their angers, and their stresses, and encouraged us to compress those things into a tight ball at our core. As the bass rumbled through our legs and gained momentum upwards, he told us to push that ball up and away, releasing it into the sky. That motion then became the recurring dance move for the chorus.

That was the gospel for me - feeling the bass reverberating in my blood and metaphorically lifting cars as the sun set over Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Because my mind and body are relentlessly burning for the concert experience and music is the sole constant in which I ground myself.

I knew the reason I loved that song would become clear to me eventually.

Walk the Moon Set

Tightrope Lisa Baby Next In Line Spend Your Money (new) Jenny (Mario theme Interlude) Shiver, Shiver I Can Lift a Car Shut Up and Dance (new) Anna Sun

Truth time: I bought a ticket because of WALK THE MOON. I’d been listening to their music constantly since last summer. Although my concert euphoria peaked during their set, I discovered that going to a Panic! at the Disco live show is a sure-fire way to instantly become a fan. Much more effective than what I’d tried to do the day before, which was to Spotify their top hits and take a quick look through YouTube for the most iconic of their music videos.

I'd also looked up the opening act Magic Man, so I was familiar with some of their music. Their performance of "Paris" was wonderful, and I was very taken with the lead singer's quirky, angular dancing. And his tight pants.

My last-minute research made me familiar with new songs like “Girls/Girls/Boys,” “This is Gospel,” and “Miss Jackson.” But I’d also heard “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” and “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” – which were memorable not only because they were big hits, but also because of the imagery in the music videos. It had helped to know a little background, but the performances did the convincing, showcasing the obvious skill of the band with the infectious excitement of the crowd and emphasized by a vibrant light show. It’s impossible to reject their music in such a setting.

The highlight for me was when they covered Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which is one of those songs I always saw as untouchable. Who else but Queen could do it justice?

Well, Panic! at the Disco apparently, that’s who. Hearing it live, I could not think of anyone more equipped to take on Freddie Mercury’s voice than Brendon Urie. I never thought I would get to hear “Bohemian Rhapsody” live, but as I did, I was so glad it was them covering it. The style fit them perfectly and the stage effects made the performance the theatrical piece I imagine it would’ve been seeing the original. It wasn’t Queen, but it was a very special tribute to watch.

As a fan of WALK THE MOON I was incredibly happy I gave in and purchased a ticket to the Gospel Tour. My mind had been fighting with itself, arguing over whether it was worth it for about a week prior. I finally gave in two days before the concert and somehow managed to find a great seat (it was easier to find a single seat since I was going by myself). It was also my first time at Pier Six Pavilion, despite living so close to Baltimore.

Below are some of the pictures I took at the show: