#TOURTWO: Paramore Find Solace in Music During Their Radio City Music Hall Debut

This past week has been so heartbreaking and full of negativity in the news, what with the death of Tom Petty and the Las Vegas terrorist attacks. But that didn't stop Paramore from sharing their hope and positivity within their music during their Radio City Music Hall debut in New York City. If you haven't read Billboard's review of the big night, here's a snippet:

"If we cry hard, we dance harder,” Paramore’s Hayley Williams tells the sold-out crowd at New York’s Radio City Music Hall Wednesday night (Oct. 4). "It's been a gnarly week, it's been shitty and emotional and we just want to dance with you, sing with you, cry with you. You got your dancing shoes on?"

Williams’ comments throughout the entire show made it apparent that she was feeling just as much grief as anyone in the 6,000-person audience before her. And while she had the energy of someone who was bursting with happiness (not to mention her super-sparkly gold sequined romper), her profound “cry hard, dance forever” sentiment revealed that perhaps that energy was simply fueled by emotion -- whether it was purely positive or otherwise.

Starting the show off with the After Laughter hit “Hard Times,” Paramore carried through a 19-song set list chock full of their biggest hits as well as some of their most heart-hitting tracks, from "That's What You Get" to "Fake Happy." Williams fulfilled her frontwoman duties to the fullest, with hair-flip headbanging and can-can kicks galore, but perhaps most necessary -- at least for the timing of this particular show -- plenty of heartfelt and poignantly uplifting statements to keep spirits high.

The most emotional point came when Williams and guitarist Taylor York stripped things down for an acoustic version of "26" ("the chairs are out, the gloves are off, New York City,” Wiliams quipped), but much like the rest of the show, with the crowd singing along so loudly, it felt like any sadness was purely taken over by passion. And while the choir of strangers was practically thunderous, when it came time for Williams to converse instead of croon, she had its full attention.

"I'm not going to preach to you or anything,” she said before the final few songs in the pre-encore part of the show -- sparking a unanimously roaring, “Preach! Preach! Preach!” that echoed in the dome-like venue -- Williams went on telling fans to use sadness or pain as inspiration to create, something that’s led to the music they’ve put out in the world.

The fact that Hayley took the time not only to briefly discuss the tragedies of this past week, but to use her platform to bring hope and love is just all things that I love about her, the band, and their music. It's a lot more than "thoughts and prayers" tweets, or tone deaf Facebook message; it's so much more to use their platform for what it's worth. And what makes it even better is that this is all during their first-ever performance at the famous Radio City Music Hall! 

Setlist

Intro + Hard Times
Intro + Ignorance [a new version]
Still Into You
Daydreaming [a new version]
Forgiveness
Brick By Boring Brick
Playing God
That’s What You Get
I Caught Myself
Hate To See Your Heart Break
26
Told You So
Everywhere (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Fake Happy
Misery Business
Ain’t It Fun
Caught In The Middle
Scooby’s in the Back (Halfnoise cover)
Rose-Colored Boy

See some photos and videos from their RCMH debut below:

Photos

Click the image below to see the HQ/LIVE photo gallery

Videos

More videos HERE

Photo Credits

Matt Smith | Amanda Hatfield | Carly Boyle | paramoremusicom

Video Credits
1 | 2 | 3 

How did you enjoy Paramore's Radio City show? Leave comments below. 

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