Paramore Still Fiery Despite Change In Hair Colour

Kool Haus

Toronto, ON

on Oct 15 2009

Sheena Lyonnais (CHARTattack)

10/16/2009 4:39pm

When I arrived at the Kool Haus, Michigan's The Swellers had just taken the stage and the packed crowd was already dripping in energy and excitement.

Having recently recruited ex-Sydney member Anto Boros on bass, the added local touch fueled their performance as the band passionately played through some of the most fun punk rock I've witnessed in a while. I even felt an urge to join the splashing moshpit — an activity I gave up on many Warped Tours ago — but I refrained and rocked out at the back.

Up next were Paper Route, an indie post-punk group from Paramore's hometown of Nashville. This is their second time on tour with the pop punk band and it's easy to see why. Their enigmatic performance was transfixing both sonically and visually, as the six-piece dynamically shifted between multiple drum kits, big '80s synths, catchy choruses and haunting piano-driven, hair-raising tracks. They focused on songs off this year's Absence LP, including "We Are All Forgotten" and "Dance On Our Graves." They were truly a captivating band to see live.

Paramore opened softly with a quiet acoustic introduction before exploding into "Ignorance." Frontwoman Hayley Williams took some serious notes from the band's recent tour with No Doubt, embracing her inner femme fatal and exuded authority in everything from her cocky dance moves, powerful vocals and newly platinum blonde hair. She playfully led the crowd like a conductor through "That's What You Get," favouring their catalogue of earlier material throughout the first half of the set before switching to primarily new tracks in the latter.

Despite a recent case of laryngitis, this is the best I've heard Williams' voice sound in the three times I've seen this infectiously catchy band. The standout had to be "Careful," where she channeled pop and soul divas alike in a fashion that would have made even Simon Cowell speechless.

Unfortunately, there were some lulls between tracks, where the band quietly prepped for the next song without engaging the hyped crowd. Paramore ended their set apathetically with "Miracle Outro" before walking off stage, evading the pre-encore hype.

When they returned, they played an acoustic version of the haunting track "Misguided Ghosts" before kicking up their explosive energy and roaring guitars for "Misery Business." They finished with "Brick By Boring Brick" and were joined by both the opener acts for a grand finale that was a blast to watch. It was a potent ending and it proved though Williams may not have her fiery red hair anymore, the flame is definitely still burning in Paramoreland.

To view a photo gallery of Paramore, click HERE.