A lot of times at concerts, the artist will mention just how much they loved playing in the city they are currently in. While I don’t doubt this sentiment is true, you know that they say it at every show on tour.
Lead singer of Paramore, Hayley Williams, went on about how special playing it Detroit always is for them. Of course I believed her, but I didn’t really understand what she meant until she told the packed crowd at Little Caesars Arena that the first time the band heard their 2007 breakthrough hit, “Misery Business” on the radio, they were in Detroit.
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Not only that, but they were playing their concert at The Shelter, the tiny performance space that is the basement of St. Andrew’s Hall.
From playing at The Shelter, to practically selling out Little Caesars Arena, just shows how much work Hayley Williams and company have put in over the last 15 years of their career.
Their hard work certainly shows, too. For just over two hours, Paramore played hit after hit, a setlist that featured songs from their extensively deep catalog. I didn’t even realize until I looked at the setlist after the concert, but they played 22 songs. It was such a dynamic concert that it did not even feel close to a 22-set concert.
Old school songs like “That’s What You Get,” “Misery Business” and “Only Exception” took me right back to being a teenager, and when they played “Decode,” famous for being on the soundtrack for the first “Twilight” movie, I was hit by a school bus full of nostalgia.
The entire night was full of joy. Opener Genesis Owusu is getting played all the time on indie rock radio stations (shout out, Sirius XMU), and he brought the funk for a crowd that was ready to party and dance. I’m especially a fan of his new album, and I lit up with joy when he played the track “WUTD” and his new single “Leaving the Light.”
Early aughts band Bloc Party was the other opener, which was also a treat for those of us who grew up going to Warped Tour. Hearing them play “Banquet” and “Helicopter” was such a treat.
The night belonged to Paramore, and I truly hope they start getting recognition for the legacy band that they are. Of all the bands that came out of that emo scene of the early 2000s, they’ve cemented themselves as the most successful and popular by a mile.
Williams’ vocals are out of this world, and it’s so nice to see her finally getting the recognition she deserves. This is a band who will be eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by the end of this decade, and it would be wonderful to see them inducted.
If Paramore is coming to a city near you soon, don’t miss the opportunity to have a fabulous night of music and dancing. You can see their full tour dates here.
