Panic’s talent cuts through the gimmicks

Talk about over the top. You’d think that Panic! at the Disco would have enough to keep fans entertained just with its hodgepodge of sonic influences (pop punk, synthy dance beats, vaudeville-esque instrumentation) and trendy stylistics (an ironic moniker and lengthy, non sequitur song titles, not to mention the requisite spiky / skinny / pretty-boy look that makes MySpace-addicted adolescent girls swoon). Judging from the rabid reception the Las Vegas band received at the start of its sold-out headlining show Wednesday at the Wiltern LG, it probably would have.

But Panic had more in its bag of tricks: a Disneyland-like set, major lighting effects and sexy burlesque dancers (with costume changes) interpreting nearly every number. The music almost got lost in the glitz, but to their credit, the musicians managed to make the extras work for instead of against them.

Is Panic’s music strong enough to hold its own without the fanfare? Sometimes. Most of the cuts from its debut album, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” are catchy and spirited, with cello and organ accompaniment on several tunes adding a unique charm to the band’s emotive rock. The mostly teenage crowd sang along to every tune, although the lyrics, like the titles, were pretty absurd, and even a little pretentious.

Despite vocals that are practically indistinguishable from other similarly coiffed acts, most notably Fall Out Boy, singer-bassist Brendon Urie displays an undeniable charisma, especially during Panic’s stripped-down numbers. The most powerful moments came when he sat at the piano, though Panic’s own material paled in comparison to its two covers -- Radiohead’s “Karma Police” and Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight.”

The group’s old-time showbiz aesthetic definitely brings something new to the cookie-cutter pop-punk scene, but unlike the night’s opening act, the Dresden Dolls, whose dramatic pizazz is an essential atmospheric element, Panic! at the Disco’s theatricality feels more like excessive embellishment. Wednesday’s set suggested that the band has the goods, but only time will tell whether its reliance on bells and whistles will continue to enhance or ultimately hinder its music.