Recommended Tracks: “Karma Police (Live In Denver)”, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies (Demo)”, “There’s a Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven’t Thought of It Yet.”
Artists You Might Like: Fall Out Boy, Radiohead, The Smashing Pumpkins
Emos rejoice: The 20th Anniversary Deluxe edition of the iconic A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out is finally here.
After breaking up just a short 2 years ago, American rock band Panic! At The Disco is back to celebrate their 2006 debut record, showcasing 3 sections: remastered songs, never-before-heard demos, and the spectacular Live in Denver recordings.
The 38-track deluxe album begins with the 2025 remastered versions of the original 13 songs. While a musically trained ear may pick up on noticeable differences between the 2006 tracks and the updated versions, these songs sound largely the same. Perhaps a little clearer, a little crisper, a little more polished…
If, to the average listener, the deluxe edition is simply a 40-minute trip down memory lane, you will get no complaints from me. After all, before the new year even began, 2026 opened the door to all sorts of nostalgia (mostly to the year 2016, which, funny enough, was the height of my Panic! “phase,” though we all know it was never a phase, mom).
The real experience begins in the second part of the album: the demos (“experience” is perhaps the only way to describe the following 11 tracks).
Panic! opened the doors to their anniversary celebration by releasing a demo version of their hit single “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” shortly after Brendon Urie’s comeback performance at the 2025 When We Were Young Festival.
Regardless of whether anyone believes a certain demo is “good” or not, it’s fascinating to get another perspective on songs that have been around for 20 years. If you’re expecting clean vocals and perfectly mixed tracks… Why are you listening to a demo? (I’m looking at you, “Nails For Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks (Demo),” perhaps the roughest of them all.)
Covering all the original tracks minus “Introduction” and “Intermission,” the demos have their highs and lows. Leading with “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” was perhaps the best way to begin, not only because of the song’s popularity, but because it’s simply one of the strongest demo versions.
Hearing a slightly off “Time to Dance (Demo)” was originally alarming! But after a few listens, I can appreciate the earlier stage of the song… to know what could have been and now know what ultimately would be gives me a deeper appreciation for the original release. I honestly loved hearing Urie almost work through the melody while recording vocals for demos like that and in “Build God Then We’ll Talk (Demo).”
The roughness and different lyric delivery are not only forgiven but also welcomed in other demos, such as “Camisado (Demo),” “Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off (Demo),” and “I Constantly Thank God for Estaban (Demo).”
Some decisions were certainly made in the background for the better: what were those crazy siren noises and shouting on “London Beckoned Songs About Money Written by Machines (Demo)”? What even happened to the chorus of “But It’s Better If You Do (Demo)”? What in the world is the introduction to “Nails,” and how do I move on from that? (Joking, sort of).
The biggest bummer for me was “There’s a Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven’t Thought of It Yet.” This is only because it is by far my favorite Panic! At The Disco song (yes, even after all these years), and yet it is the only entirely instrumental track of the 38 songs. Still, I appreciate that there’s a different version of the song on the album, and I can always fill in the singing myself.
After re-listening to the album and getting a deeper look into the making-of, we now get to the juiciest section of the project: Live in Denver.
“Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight, we offer you a picturesque score of passing folly for your pleasure, at one Panic! at the Disco!”
Oh, to be the screaming audience in Colorado! Long-time fans have watched and memorized the iconic 2006 Live In Denver show, during which the original members of the band performed A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out in its entirety (out of order) as well as 2 epic covers.
After 20 years of fans’ secret ways to watch the hour-long spectacle, we were finally (ethically) gifted the full performance in October 2025, and individual tracks were added to streaming platforms with the 20th Anniversary Deluxe. That’s right: in the grand 2026, there is finally an official release of Live In Denver featuring THE Ryan Ross, Jon Walker, Spencer Smith, and Brendon Urie sharing the stage. Incredible.
If this performance is brand new for you, dear listener, you are in for a real treat. With all of its vaudevillian allure and stacked lineup of original members, Panic! At The Disco not only put on a stellar show but also documented a magical moment in their career.
One of the most unique parts of this performance is the transition between songs, made special for the out-of-order performance of A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out (though the album’s flow from “But It’s Better If You Do” into “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” will always be top-tier.)
A flawless piano transition from “London…” into Panic!’s amazing cover of Radiohead’s OK Computer hit “Karma Police” almost catches me by surprise every time. It’s been years since I’ve been able to listen to the outro of “Karma Police” without nudging in a little “Well I’m afraid that I…” crossing over AFYCSO’s “But It’s Better If You Do”. (I also have to often stop myself from repeating Urie’s call out: “Everybody– When you f–k with us!”).
My favorite transition by far would have to be Panic!’s cover of The Smashing Pumpkins’ 1995 song “Tonight, Tonight” into my aforementioned favorite P!ATD track, “There’s a Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven’t Thought of It Yet.” The seamless move from one into the other, you would think that the bands collaborated and made the songs back to back.
Overall, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out (20th Anniversary Deluxe) is a delightful trip through mid-2000s P!ATD nostalgia, mixed with a little bit of behind-the-scenes insight into the legendary Panic! debut tracks. While there are no new or unreleased tracks, it serves as a neat compilation of all things AFYCSO, with all of its original charm and unparalleled whimsy.
Panic! At The Disco’s A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out (20th Anniversary Deluxe) is now available on most streaming platforms here.
Keep up with Panic! At the Disco: Facebook // X // Instagram // YouTube // Website
