I first came across Paramore in my school years, when MTV was an ever-present backtrack in the living room and music videos were still anticipated, watched and gushed over for weeks.
In 2009, The Only Exception was played at least a handful of times daily on the TV channel, introducing me to a fiery-haired Hayley Williams and teaching me the importance of compromise when it comes love.
Now, 14 years on, I got to see the band play live for the first time at Auckland’s Spark Arena, and it was a chance to take a nostalgic glance back to see how far I have come since my gawky school days and a welcome opportunity to scream out all of my long-held teenage angst.
Funnily enough, I don’t think I was alone in my reminiscent sing-along.
Starting with a song from their latest album and, incidentally, a cover of their Kiwi opening act Remi Wolf, the band graced the stage with You First, and there was a crowd full of energy to greet them. Luckily for the hyped-up audience, Williams was there to throw the energy right back.
Never have I witnessed a frontwoman dance, jump, kick, back-bend, throw around a mic stand and headbang while simultaneously reaching tricky (if not near-impossible) belted notes like Paramore’s lead songstress. Her electric vivacity never faltered - bar the odd slow song which was purposefully met with a different sort of delicate attention - and the audience ate up every single kilowatt.
The band played a good mix of old, new and smash hit tunes. Playing hits fromBrand New Eyes such as The Only Exception, Playing God and Decode - made famous by vampire flick Twilight - as well as tracks from their 2013 self-titled album such as Still Into You, Ain’t It Fun and Last Hope, fans who had been listening to the band since their inception nearly 20 years ago were well looked-after.
Newbie listeners were also graced with The News, Crave and Running Out Of Time from This Is Why and Hard Times, Rose-Colored Boy and Caught In The Middle from their 2017 album After Laughter.
Perhaps the biggest show-stopper of the night was Misery Business, released in 2007 as the ultimate girl-meets-rage sing-along. Not only was the crowd going wild - along with Williams, in true rocker fashion - but the song was paused right before the final chorus for a sweet interlude centred around crowd participation.
Taylor York of Paramore. Photo / Zachary Gray
“I need someone to help me sing the rest of the song”, Williams informed the sea of people - and was met with a wave of excited screams.
The lead singer picked out Abi in the front row, holding a sign that read “sing with me” in glittery bold letters. A moment that made everybody’s night - and Abi’s year, for sure - was when the pair sang along to the final chorus and finished off the song on a high note (literally).
This not only left us a little bit teary-eyed, but also a tad envious that we hadn’t taken out the glitter and trudged to the front row ourselves to experience a duet with the coolest rock chick in the world.
Paramore’s leading lady was right. This concert really was a good place to put all the rage, sadness, joy and energy that had been pent up over the last few days, weeks, months and even years.
Hayley Williams of Paramore. Photo / Zachary Gray
Hayley Williams was superb, as were her band of brothers and her multi-generational songs, which have stood the test of time and trends to still command the fiercest of headbangs for two hours straight.
However, Paramore’s music not only makes for a good gig and a great night out - although it does both seamlessly.
I think the most poignant part of the band’s catalogue of songs over the last 20 years is the way the songs allow people to lighten the load and let off some steam. Whether singing, crying, screaming or dancing the night away, the concert felt like a two-hour sigh of relief, and was a much-needed outlet for those of us who carry around our emotions a little too close to our chest.
It brought a sense of healing to that 16-year-old girl in front of the TV trying to figure out what love meant.
And 14 years on, it still does.
Megan Watts is a Lifestyle Multimedia Journalist for the New Zealand Herald whose passions include honest journalism, backstage band chats and doing things for the plot.
