Paramore
3Arena
★★★★☆
It’s often said that things get better with age. Wine and cheese are the most commonly cited examples, but American rock band Paramore is another one to add to the list.
First formed in 2004, Paramore have not been free of drama; several members have left and returned over the years, and those remaining took a hiatus in 2018. But now, the current iteration of the band is back again and better than ever.
Kicking off their UK and Ireland tour in Dublin’s 3Arena on Thursday night, it felt somewhat like the crowd had been transported back in time.
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In the 2010s, revellers at a Paramore gig would have been seen with brightly coloured hair, heavy eyeliner, Dr Martens boots and fishnet tights. That attire made a return on Thursday, with the latest concert providing an opportunity for the crowd to relive the pop-punk heyday of their teenage years.
Opening the show, lead singer Hayley Williams, with her signature bright orange hair, was jumping and headbanging to You First amid blinding lights. “Man, I love it here. Thank you for having us,” she said to the crowd. “Jumping across the pond, it feels like home.”
Paramore is a band defined by their acerbic lyrics, catching beats and heavy base, but what pulls it all together is a fantastic vocalist, with a far-reaching range.
The phenomenal opening sequence of tracks came to an abrupt halt during the sixth song, Caught in the Middle, as Williams’s microphone began to cut out. When everything was back up and running, Williams laughed: “The best part about technological problems like that is that it means all bets are off. The bar doesn’t even matter. First night of tour? Lets just have fun.”
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For a band that has been around for as long as this one, trying to balance latest releases with fan favourites is always a difficult line to walk. However, that wasn’t the case at Thursday night’s gig. The band’s setlist was a carefully curated mix that showed their full evolution, including early heavy-hitters and Twilight soundtrack contribution Decode to their more radio-friendly pop hits such as Hard Times.
The setlist also featured an acoustic cover of The Cranberries’ Dreams, the introduction to which resulted in a faux pas in which the frontwoman intimated Ireland was part of the UK. Following an outraged response from the crowd, she quickly clarified that’s not what she meant.
“And by the way I know you’re not in the UK. Sometimes when you’re on stage in front of people, you start saying sh*t and you don’t know what you’re saying,” she added.
The band’s breakout hit Misery Business is a firm fan favourite, but there had been plans for the band to stop playing it due to misogynistic lyrics. Williams said she normally gives a “big spiel” explaining that times have moved on, but she wasn’t going to do that this time. “You all have good heads on your shoulders.”
At the end of it all, the 3Arena performance was simply a show in which musicians enjoyed being able to share the music they love. Those who observed the spectacle on stage couldn’t help but acknowledge that This is Why Paramore have had continued success.
