Wow, now that was a show. We're exhausted. Hitting up Las Vegas on Oct. 9, Ambassadors of Rock and Rock Band presented a quadruple-band show featuring hometown heroes Panic At The Disco, alongside Dashboard Confessional, Plain White T's, and The Cab.
First up, Vegas newbies and the new band to watch, The Cab ripped through a short set of songs from their debut album, Whisper War. Next up, Plain White T's, vets of the Chicago scene and road warriors for the past ten years, showed everyone why they're much more than one hit wonders. Dashboard Confessional slowed things down a bit, as Chris Carraba's emotive lyrics and tones took center stage, and his band mates backed him up with their experienced and subtle accompaniment. The night belonged, though, to Panic At The Disco, hometown boys retuning to once again rock out Vegas. Their striking set included hits and fan-favorites, including "I Write Sins, Not Tragedies," "Nine In The Afternoon," "That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)." To top off the party, the boys brought out the heavy guns, covering the classic Isley Brothers tune "Shout." You may remember it (or not) from the movie Animal House. Either way, they moved the crowd from beginning to end and, yes, everyone was screaming, nay, shouting along to that last song, whether they knew from whence it came or not.
Along with playing the packed-out show, the guys in Panic and Dashboard also donated memorabilia to Hard Rocks largest-in-the-world rock 'n' roll collection. Panic At The Disco gave up a guitar, a snare drum, and their very cool stage backdrop from the show. Chris Carraba literally gave us the shirt off his back when he donated two, count 'em, two, shirts he'd worn for the show. We don't know if he washed them first, but it doesn't matter because they're gonna be hidden behind glass for eternity, never to be smelled again, and hung above your booth at Hard Rock Cafe. You'll be able to say you read about that donation, way back when. Speaking of donations, the entire evening also raised $10,000 for Autism Speaks, a charity dedicated to raising awareness for those who struggle with autism, uncovering the causes, and discovering the best treatments for autism.
So, all of this added up to one heck of a night, under the clear desert sky, rock and roll filling our ears, and Ambassadors of Rock once again having a ball. Thanks to Rock Band for being one hell of a sponsor (not to mention, a great game, but that goes without saying) and to the bands for providing one hell of a good time.