Paramore, Genting Arena, Birmingham - review
It was anything but Hard Times watching Tennessee dance, pop and rock band Paramore when they played a packed-out Genting Arena last night.
Fronted by the endearingly bonkers Hayley Williams, the group’s output was excellent from start to end - with an unbelievable energy which had Birmingham fans dancing non-stop throughout the 90-minute set.
Their music may now be a far cry from the once rocky sound Paramore put out with second album Riot back in 2007, but after nearly 15 years in the business the band remains passionate and lively - and a delight to see live.
Kicking off their dynamic set with 2017 number Hard Times, Hayley looked wonderful dressed in a loosely-fitted black suit, complete with a pair of classic black and white brogues, throwing her legs into the air with a series of high kicks as she danced feverishly around the stage.
Though the set was filled with new songs - which the vast majority of the crowd appeared to know well - the classics from Riot went down a storm, with the crowd screaming and cheering as the opening riffs gave away what was to come.
Among these was Ignorance, which saw Hayley singing into the crowd through a hand-held megaphone.
2013 number Still Into You, which Hayley dedicated to Paramore, was also met with great joy and enthusiasm from the huge audience.
“It’s nice to be here with you tonight Birmingham,” beamed Hayley.
“Tonight we don’t need to worry about anything. We’re in this safe little place. Let’s enjoy some music.
“So get some tissues ready, strap on your dancing shoes and let’s enjoy Tour Three.”
That’s What You Get came next - and saw the venue simply explode with elation, as those in the seats sprung to their feet and those on the floor jumped, danced and sang along, belting out every word.
The band themselves were a collective of six talented musicians whose sound was nothing short of perfectly balanced from the get-go. With a clean output and faultless, united timing and powerful renditions of a range of genres, their performance was spot-on throughout.
Examples of this were on songs such as excellent 2017 numbers Caught In The Middle and Told You So.
“It’s so good to play music for you - we’re so fortunate to be able to do this,” added Hayley.
“It’s been a really amazing thing to be able to continue to tell our stories and have your support along the way.
“We’ve had the honour of growing of with you. A lot of us looked a lot different back then.”
And they certainly did, with Hayley donning beautiful shoulder-length curly blonde locks and a conservative style of dress; very different to the bright red hair and rocker clothing she was once known for.
A highlight of the show was undoubtedly the band’s rendition of Misery Business, which saw two incredibly excited members of the crowd welcomed onto the stage to sing and dance alongside Hayley - to their absolute delight.
Other top moments saw dummer Zac Farro sing and dance in time with Hayley on French Class, by his musical side-project Halfnoise, and Aaron Weiss from support act Mewithoutyou join the band on the vocals for No Friend.
A great evening, filled with more energy from Hayley and her adoring fans than most can boast.
Paramore, we’re Still Into You.
