PUFF (!) the Magic Dragon!

I like Panic At the Disco.

And it's all Bloc Party's fault.

You see I have this friend who, for a brief wrinkle in time, was all about the Bloc Party live. Homegirl would pay to see them open a DuPont paint store if she could. And on this fateful night a summer or three back, we were to make the trek to Long Beach and see the kids get fueled by Ramen. Gym Class Heroes, Cobra Starship, Panic, Bloc Party, and teenagers. Loads and loads of teenagers...in a nearly seatless arena...OH!...MY!...GOD!...- Insert your own Teenage girl Beatlemania/Boy Band glee hysterics here - Unfortunately the band we drove south to see, canceled. Somebody got sick or something and the boys of Bloc Party were a no show. And unfortunately, tickets were already paid for way in advance.

-Sigh-

These fueled by Ramen acts can't be that bad right?

Right!

Let me just go on out and say it. I did not care for Panic At the Disco. Here today gone tomorrow pop rock for the teenage set. Flash in the pan, sorry not a fan, wham bam no thank you ma'am. Just because. I was that guy. You know the one who would turn off I Write Sins, Not Tragedies before it's hook or a few words in a verse could rope me in, cause I just knew I had no business liking something of this ilk.

But not now. Not here. I'm stuck. Ticket is paid for. Got to grin and bear it. And you know what? This ain't half bad. They are really putting on a show. Vocals are on point, the theatrics are whimsical and actually don't distract too much from the music, and they get extra points for performing Killer Queen and Eleanor Rigby to an obviously confused teenage crowd who want to sing along, but for some reason, they just can't. "Must be a unreleased track or something."

And that is how I became a Panic At the Disco fan. I'll spare you the whole I got the album and like it more than I like to admit, play start to finish, sing along in my room tidbits and just leave you with this, the video for their new single Nine in the Afternoon, from their upcoming sophmore albumPretty. Odd. For those seeking a little Thomas the Tank Engine/Fraggle Rock/Teletubbies/Lamb Chop's Play Along action in their lives right now.