Paramore at the Roundhouse

An electric atmosphere greeted Paramore before they had even set foot on stage at the iTunes Festival. The crowd roared as they burst into a loud, fast-paced Grow Up, complete with heavy guitar and the singer, Hayley Williams, strutting about the stage.

Williams, small yet fierce, had the aura of a rock goddess. Dressed in a crop top and red shorts with a slick red bob, Williams looked sweet and unintimidating. But all first impressions were proven wrong as she jumped around the stage, high-kicked and held the microphone stand over head. She commanded the whole attention of the packed-out venue, often standing on the barrier thrusting her hips in the air and screaming “Is that all you got?” at the audience.

As the band launched into their second song, Fast in My Car, Paramore were in their element. The guitarists worked the stage while Williams pretended to drive a car over the audience. The singer then channelled her inner Karen O, with “ohs” reminiscent of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Cold Light, followed by a lot fist-pumping and head-banging, which of course the audience joined in on.

The set was heavily focused on their eponymous debut album, Paramore, released earlier this year. While it consisted of fast, guitar-fuelled rock songs, Paramore surprisingly included the record’s interludes, such as Holiday and I’m Not Angry Anymore. These were performed at the side of the stage acoustically, while Williams sang adorable lyrics like “I think I’ll stay on holiday,” accompanied by ukulele and acoustic guitar. The songs were a delightful break from the very energetic rock concert – and not the only musical surprise. The song Ain’t It Fun started typically with Paramore’s heavy rock guitar, but then ended with a funky bass jam solo and Williams’ lyrics taking on a soul inspiration as she sang “Don’t go crying to your mama”.

Another highlight was a slowed-down The Only Exception where Williams’ powerful voice resonated around the Roundhouse, a steady drumbeat and guitar playing in the background. The audience reacted understandably, swaying and waving lighters in the air.

Paramore’s performance was a great live show, accommodating both old and new listeners. They managed to get the whole of the Roundhouse dancing, including the seats in the balcony, and Williams’ showmanship and talent were impressive for such a young woman.

Bryonie Carolan
Photo: Tempus Fugate

For further information and future events visit Paramore’s website here.

Watch the video for The Only Exception here: