Paramore

Paramore – Rod Laver Arena

Support from Remi Wolf

Photos by Zachary Gray

Written by Zennieshia Butts

The atmosphere at Rod Laver Arena was electric as a vast sea of fans eagerly awaited the second night of Paramore’s three-night stint. The nostalgia was real with the influx of 30-40 year olds across the venue mixed in with the younger crowd loving the band as much as we did 20 years ago! Remi Wolf kicking off the evening as the support act was a blessing. She took the stage with an infectious energy that immediately captivated the audience. “Liquor Store” and “wyd” set the tone for the night, showcasing Remi’s dynamic vocals and stage presence.

The setlist featured a bunch of her well-known tracks and a surprise cover of Frank Ocean’s “Pink + White. The crowd couldn’t help but groove along to how slick tracks like “Sexy Villain” and “Disco Man” were. The set continued with hits like “Shawty” and a chat about eating soup on a roof before rolling into “Soup,” keeping the levels of energy at a high. The audience was treated to a cartwheel finale during “Photo ID,” leaving everyone in awe of Remi Wolf.

As the lights dimmed, a spoken word intro by Hayley Williams drove the crowd into a roar. No doubt this set the stage for an intimate yet exhilarating night. The band effortlessly transitioned between fan favourites and new tracks from their latest album “This Is Why”, creating a setlist for fans of the past and the present while getting everyone seated onto their feet.

You couldn’t take your eyes off Hayley Williams with her high-energy dance moves throughout the performance, The crowd erupted with joy as Paramore launched into classics like “That’s What You Get” and “Playing God.” “Rose-Colored Boy” and “Running Out of Time” had the audience singing along with every word. There was an overarching sense of nostalgic unity in the arena which had everyone in the moment together, exactly what Hayley asked for from the crowd earlier in a speech about the present world.

A particularly touching moment occurred during “The Only Exception” when someone in the crowd proposed, adding a heartwarming moment to the night. The surprises continued with a cover of HalfNoise’s “Baby” with Zac on vocals and the classic crowd call up during “Misery Business,” with Hannah taking the stage, at her 21st Paramore concert.

The encore was nothing short of spectacular, with “Still Into You” kicking off a final burst of energy and “This Is Why” brought the night to a triumphant close, covering the sky in confetti covered with the album’s name across it.

Paramore and Remi Wolf delivered a night of smiles, screams, tears and beers at Rod Laver Arena. For many people, this night would have been full of flashbacks to high school while dancing with their friends of 20 years. For others it would have been their first time getting a chance to see such an influential band at such an influential time in their lives. Either way, no-one would have walked away from tonight without a smile on their face.