Waterparks (with support from HUNNY and Elliot Lee) performing at Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia, PA on May 19, 2023. All photos taken by Cami Liberty.
John Mellencamp | Philadelphia
John Mellencamp performing at Miller Theater in Philadelphia, PA on June 3, 2023. All photos taken by Betsy Brody.
Paramore | Atlanta
Live on Thursday in Atlanta… it’s Paramore! After a long-awaited return, 10 years to be exact, our favorite band from childhood is back and ready to rage. At the State Farm Arena in the heart of the city, the “Misery Business” team is back for more with a sold-out show. Opening the show with a performance of “You First,” Hayley Williams is full of energy and high kicks as she struts across the ornately decorated stage.
A natural born performer, Hayley Williams is ready to give her all tonight in Atlanta. Hearts are soaring and voices are rising higher as the band continues with performances of “The News,” “That’s What You Get,” and “Playing God.” Songs that have been out for over a decade, Paramore is bringing nostalgia back to life. “Atlanta is that you?” Williams calls out to the crowd. “You might as well be home,” she begins. “We love coming to Atlanta. We love it, it feels wholesome.” After saying their thank you’s, “Caught in The Middle” from the band’s fifth studio album, After Laughter, ricochets through.
Paramore performs “Rose-Colored Boy,” another banger from their fifth album. Accompanied by “Running Out of Time,” and “Decode,” fans are on a time machine to some of their best Paramore moments. As a surprise to most Paramore fans, Williams sings out the first line to “Last Hope,” where the room illuminates with the crowd’s flashlights. Soon after, the room is crooning to “Big Man, Little Dignity,” and “Liar,” a live production for the ages.
For “Liar,” the band shifts to a backstage, where they stand and sit on a platform suspended against the backdrop from the “This Is Why” music video. The silhouettes of the band capture your eye as they shift to Williams’s song, “Crystal Clear.” The song, from her solo project (Petals for Armor), has the room screaming and clapping for more. The three-and-a-half-minute song rings out, and the band finds their way back to the main stage.
“Okay, let’s go see some of your talent.” Williams cocks a hand on her hip, looking around the room. Showcasing her vocal range and making the night feel like a warm welcome, Williams twirls and kicks around to “Told You So.” With an outro ode to Tina Turner, the show continues with “The Only Exception.” A wall of sparklers erupt from the background as the chorus rings out for the last time. “Can we have Zac Farro to the front of the stage?” With a performance of “Baby” from Farro, a member of HalfNoise, the retro vibes are here and they’re exceeding expectations. Edited snippets of Williams, Taylor York, and Farro pan across the screens in the arena, as fans are shouting for more.
“I’ve talked a lot tonight,” Williams laughed. “The fact that we get to come and play show to as diverse of a crowd as you are. It’s a joy and privilege, thank you for being here tonight.” The crowd bursts at the seams with joy, rooting for the three band members who shaped the way we view music. With an iconic performance of “Ain’t It Fun,” the band files off the stage and a short film begins to play. Featuring photos and behind the scenes footage of the last few years, Atlanta is screaming and crying for more Paramore. “Paramore! Paramore! Paramore!” Is shouted from the depths of the arena, and our favorite 5’2” vocalist is taking center stage again.
“Did you miss us? Because we missed you!” Williams shouts as the intro to “Still into You” begins to pulsate. Ending the show with “This Is Why,” I can’t help but say: I’m glad I left the house. Atlanta was just the steppingstone to Paramore’s North American tour. With support from Genesis Owusu and Bloc Party, you can expect not to have any hard times at a Paramore show.
Grab your tickets now while you still can and follow Paramore (@paramore) on Instagram to stay up to date on the band’s next move. Don’t forget to stream their latest album, This Is Why, which is available where you get your music.
Words by Kaylee Pickens
Photos by Chandler Bunzol
Loveless | Atlanta
Loveless (with support from Taylor Acorn) performing at The Masquerade (Hell Stage) in Atlanta, GA on June 2, 2023. All photos taken by Alyssa Hudson.
Set It Off | Cleveland
Set It Off (with support from Scene Queen, In Her Own Words, and Rivals) performing at House Of Blues in Cleveland, OH on May 20, 2023. All photos taken by Kayla Kreller
The Orphan The Poet + Moontower | Philadelphia
The Orphan The Poet and Moontower (with support from Hue Hinton) performing at MilkBoy in Philadelphia, PA on May 7, 2023. All photos taken by Cami Liberty.
Hangout Music Festival | Gulf Shores
Hangout Fest kicked off the summer with an amazing weekend. With this year's stacked line up, you were always on your feet running from one set to another. The lineup was so good that the crowd came rushing into the beach for the earliest acts and stayed until the headliner fireworks went off. With so much talent on every stage, there were constantly people walking back and forth to catch every set that they could. Every year, Hangout gets better and better, but let's reminisce on this past weekend and check out some of our favorite sets from this year’s Hangout Music Festival.
Featuring: AJR, A$AP Ferg, Ashnikko, The Backseat Lovers, COIN, Flume, The Kid LAROI, Lil Nas X, Paramore, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Skrillex, Stephen Sanchez, SZA, Thundercat, and Tove Lo
Words and photos by Valentina Ramirez
Meg Myers | Philadelphia
Meg Myers (with support from Weathers and Band of Silver) performing at Underground Arts in Philadelphia, PA on May 5, 2023. All photos taken by Cami Liberty.
Dermot Kennedy | Morrison
Dermot Kennedy performing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO on May 15, 2023. All photos taken by Ashley Crichton.
quinnie | West Hollywood
quinnie performing at Troubadour in West Hollywood, CA on May 18, 2023. All photos taken by Melody J. Myers.
joan | Brooklyn
joan performing at Music Hall Of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY on May 16, 2023. All photos taken by Maggie Einstein.
Daisy the Great | Brooklyn
Daisy the Great (with support from Olive Klug and Benét) performing at Music Hall Of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY on May 12, 2023. All photos taken by Michaelah Reynolds.
Goth Babe | Washington DC
Goth Babe (with support from flipturn) performing at The Anthem in Washington, DC on May 6, 2023. All photos taken by Ashton Sotiro.
UPSAHL | Philadelphia
UPSAHL (with support from WizTheMc) performing at The Foundry in Philadelphia, PA on May 3, 2023. All photos taken by Cami Liberty.
Flume | Los Angeles
Flume performing at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles, CA on May 5, 2023. All photos taken by Brandon Lu.
half•alive | Philadelphia
half•alive (with support from Tessa Violet and Dev Lemons) performing at Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia, PA on April 29, 2023. All photos taken by Cami Liberty.
The War and Treaty | New York City
The War and Treaty performing at Bowery Ballroom in New York City on May 3, 2023. All photos taken by Samantha Crowley.
Whitechapel | Los Angeles
Whitechapel performing at Regent Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on May 5, 2023. All photos taken by Adriana Torres.
The Plot In You | Vancouver
The Plot In You (with support from Holding Absence, Thornhill, and Banks Arcade) performing at Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, BC on May 3, 2023. All photos taken by Emma-Jane Dotchuk.
Knuckle Puck + Real Friends | Seattle
Knuckle Puck and Real Friends (with support from Between You & Me) performing at The Crocodile in Seattle, WA on April 29, 2023. All photos taken by Emma-Jane Dotchuk.