Now is the time

Now is the latest single from revamped pop-punk band from Tennessee, Paramore, and they deliver with a whopper of a classic single. Opening with a very upbeat intro, reminding me of what The Yeah Yeah Yeahs brought to the table 5 or so years ago. The vocals are simple and work beautifully with Hayley Williams' well tuned voice and she delivers a booming chorus to accompany the somewhat new sound that the trio have embraced with a variety of single tracks that have been released through their Singles Club. Throughout the track, it feels very much like Paramore and no doubt will be a favourite live track with lots of regular playability. In fact, Now sounds almost like it could be recorded live on one track (though that seems highly rare these days with the advancements in recording technology). They have come a long way since the inner turmoil that ruined their majorly successful 2010 with a plethora of radio hits and various live tracks that are staples of their ever growing set list.

Be sure to check out Now and their hugely anticipated full length alb coming soon!

Mad Lib

I'm at a new school. It's name is the Hayley Williams School for Rock Stars. The courses here area small. My first assignment is to learn how to play the pedal steel guitar and sing like a rock star. To be a good rock star, I'm supposed to mosh around a lot, to poop across the stage and to meditate the audience. I did not act like that at my old school, so I think I will have to work on it for a while. My second assignment is to learn to have an entourage, which is a group of people that always seems to follow a rock star. I have a lot of friends, but for this assignment I suddenly have plain people following me around, telling me how spectacular I am, how they really like my huge, and how I am the most huge person ever. I can't be sure, but I think they're saying that. My final assignment is to put on a rock concert. I have to arrive in a snowmobile and walk the dookie green carpet, part the collaborating fans with cameras splashing in my face. When I get inside, my entourage will be there and I will be playing with them on stage. I will have to play one billion, seven hundred trillion, eight hundred katillion songs, all whilst skyping, singing and frisbeeing. This will be the hardest final exam ever, but it will the one to remember.

Paramore - Courtesy of Drum Media

Openers, Kiwi duo The Jury & The Saints, have nit been around long, but you would not guess it with their confident stage show. Using samples to fatten up the sound produced by a powerhouse, back-flipping drummer and energetic guitarist/singer, the band sounded like the electronic-laced music of the new Good Charlotte, just a whole lot more fun. A cover of Tail Cruz's Dynamite and new single, Brand New, both got huge reactions from a quickly filling floor.

Christian pop/punkers Relient K took the stage next with a well-honed live set. The band played the three singles from Breakout album, Mmhmm, and drew heavily from most recent album, Forget And Not Slow Down. Sadly, a muddy mix made it difficult to hear their intricate, piano-laced pop/punk; for the majority of the set, the kick drum, one guitar and vocals were all that cur through. A cover of Toto's Africa seemed an odd choice considering the median age of the crowd wad about 15, but it was well received and featured a killer keyboard solo.

The crowd erupted as a black shroud dropped to reveal the new Paramore launching into Ignorance - with a sixth member, a huge show and confidence to boot. Hayley Williams showed why she deserving of all the praise heaped on her, as her vocal performance was incredible and it was amazing to hear such a powerful voice emitted from such a young, energetic performer.

Williams wasn't lying when she said the crowd could expect something akin to Soundwave, "but with heaps more songs." The band played a 16-song set pulling material from all of their three albums. Williams and guitarist paid homage to their Nashville roots with an acoustic cover of Loretta Lynn's You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man) and set the stage for an acoustic intermission, bringing a couch on stage. Showing their versatility, Paramore played lounge versions of When It Rains, Where The Lines Overlap and Misguided Ghosts, which gave an illusion of intimacy in such a big venue. The band closed with a rocked-up version of The Only Exception and solified their stadium rock status with pyrotechnics during the final chorus.

A literally deafening encore chant brought the band back out for Brick By Boring Brick and a rendition of Misery Business with Australian Idol winner Stan Walker and Farrow stripping down to reveal Aussie flag boxers.

- Dave Drayton

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Paramore Revisited

Paramore, on the top of their game after touring North America with New Found Glory and Tegan and Sara on the Honda Civic Tour 2010 they enter down under on a high, back for another stint in Australia for the second time in 2010.

Back in February, they entertained Sydney with their half hour Soundwave set, making sure they kept it short fast and loud, while still promoting Brand New Eyes, and its upbeat tracks off the record like Ignorance and Brick By Boring Brick. Sure enough we knew that Paramore wouldn't leave Sydney without play the highly anticipated sideshow, featuring Rolo Tomassi.

Since, Paramore weren't headliners at Soundwave 2010 due to the Mega lineup that included Faith No More, Jimmy Eat World and Placebo. Nevertheless Sydney was entertained by Paramore at The Big Top at Luna Park, Milson's Point. Showcasing a full set, it was a fitting loud and fast performance, yet the venue didn't give them the praise that they should of, with a small and compacted arena. However, Hayley and her crew proved to SYDNEY that they are the band to be, further emphasized after claiming the KERRANG! Award for Album of the Year with Brand New Eyes.

Their arrival was imminent for Sydney siders and we see the band put on a huge sell out show at the Sydney Entertainment Centre with support from The Jury and the Saints and Relient K.

The clock was ticking down to 930, around the time when the headliner act would appear on stage. Nonetheless, the environment was vibrant and so was the introduction of Paramore to Sydney this time around. Opening with Ignorance, expected by most of the fans out there, it would be a night of promotion of Brand New Eyes, with the whole album being played throughout the night. The crowd grew excited and warm towards the ever vibrant Hayley Williams as Paramore kicked off the show with Feeling Sorry and fan favourites That's What You Get and For A Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic. As, the show progressed the crowd grew in energy and love towards the Nashville 5-piece and the noise erupted with the opening track of the first Twilight soundtrack - Decode. A title that the band accepts as the Twilight band has brought them a new group of young fans, and it seeks that every Twilight fans loves Hayley and Paramore.

Of course, Paramore entertained us through the middle of the feature set with their acoustic songs, many of which appeared on Brand New Eyes. Opening with a cover of Loretta Lynn and followed by When It Rains and Misguided Ghosts, the reception of their slower and softer material was positive all the way through the absense of distortion and sustain.

Of course, we were all waiting for the return to their loud and fast material and it didn't take long. Re-introducing themselves as rock giants they returned with Looking Up and the long awaited acrobatics that accompanies the feature single from All We Know Is Falling, Pressure. Of course, they finished up their set with The Only Exception onto a huge reception by the Sydney Crowd.

A short wait for the encore and the return of the band back to stage, with the sing-a-long and feature single from Brand New Eyes - Brick By Boring Brick. What other way to bring the house down? MISERY BUSINESS! The popular track from Riot! blew the minds of fans and every member of the audience got into it to make the sold out show a night to remember! Paramore brought energy, youth and noise to the table tonight and they put on a show to remember for fans and performers alike.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Soundwave 2010 - Paramore

Paramore's energy especially from Hayley WIlliams and her ability to command the stage like a dance floor still with mic in hand shows their ability to become the newest pop-rockers of the world.

Opening with Josh and the distorted electric guitar oppf the opening song of their 40 minute set - Ignorance really encapsulated the crowd - until Hayley takes the stage. Paramore's ability to write short, fast and loud songs for the popular culture of the Western World sees them take the crowd by storm with their 4th disc - Brand New Eyes. Anger and happiness cross in Hayley's voice and image with the iconic lyric from the new record - 'Ignorance is your new best friend.'

Following in a 35 degree day out at Eastern Creek in Sydney, it doesn't bother them although Hayley still has to ask the crowd if they are ok in the blistering heat, and they following with other classics from Riot which all fans were hoping for - and they weren't disappointed. Crushcrushcrush and That's What You Get were some older singles from their breakthrough record, and this following with the inevitable popular tracks from Brand New Eyes, which made No. 1 in Oz, and even Hayley doesn't know how it happened.

After a break and the introduction as well as the short but sweet banter from Hayley WIlliams - 'This is gonna be a fun set, it already is... So let me ask you a question, and there is no right answer, 'No' is acceptable... Who has our new record?' (screaming, yelling). They continue with Careful and Let The Flames Begin and set the crowd on fire with Pressure - the classic track from their first record, All We Know Is Falling.

Is there another track to top the already fantabulous set? You fucking better believe it. for those rare Twilight fans out there, Paramore's Decode deom the soundtrack set fans wild and with limited time left, we all knew what tracks were remaining. Misery Business followed and the crowd all joined in with Hayley's true dancing 'moves' coming out when Josh started banging the guitar solo.

With energy at a peak in the pit, what could be left? Brick by Boring Brick, the radio hit on Triple J and a crowd favourite with full participation for the whole song. Fans couldn't wait for the final 30 seconds of the set as we all chanted - 'Pa da pa pa da pa pa da!'

Soundwave Review - Overall

Soundwave at Eastern Creek Raceway like past years gone by produces a large array of rock, metal, emo and punk rock acts to come around to Australia and blast away with noise. This year we say a multitude of international acts appear from all over the world. What brings tear to mine and I'm sure many fan's eyes is the rebirth and reformation of several acts including minor favourite band - The Get Up Kids, who have molded the path of modern Emo-Pop for the generation of listeners around the world over the last decade.

Interestingly, not only the reforming of bands occurred but Soundwave Festival 2010 was a chance for international acts to show what they have done for popular and rock music around the world including Paramore, Motion City Soundtrack and Jimmy Eat World. But who really stole the stage away this year? Eagles of Death Metal and Reel Big Fish produced solid live outings as hoped but nothing can be taken away from the main stage acts that were brought in for those old fans; and encapsulated young listeners out there as well - Jane's Addiction and Faith No More. With Perry Farrell and Mike Patten's stage presence mixed with their deep and influential alternative rock/metal music over the 80s and 90s they were quite simply FAST and LOUD and brought fans together as one, although hardcore Anti-Flag or H.I.M. fans just couldn't miss those acts on alternate stages.

Stay tuned - Individual reviews coming soon...

Confirmed Act 2: Paramore

After only a limited time in the popular music industry, the alternative rock group, Paramore, have taken the world by storm, with a suprisingly similar composition of band members to Blondie. Nevertheless, their success is accentuated by the female vocals, giving a different but vibrant shock to the standard listener. Their 2009 hit album, Brand New Eyes, puts it among the Top 10 rock albums of 2009 and deservingly so, get the nod with a 45 minute set at Eastern Creek Raceway at Soundwave 2010. Again, hopefully to promote their new record as widely purchased as it was by Australians, their new catchy track will rock Australia this summer with singles and “should-be” singles Ignorance, Turn It Off and Playing God. I'm very interested to see what else they might pull out for Australia.

1.Ignorance
2.crushcrushcrush
3.That's What Your get
4.Looking Up
5.Careful
6.Let The Flames Begin
7.Never Let This Go
8.The Only Exception
9.Pressure
10.For A Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic
11.Where The Lines Overlap
12.Decode
13.Misery Business
14.Brick By Boring Brick

Soundwave Festival 2010 Mix Volume 1

1. Anti-Flag - The Press Corpse
2. Jimmy Eat World - A Praise Chorus
3. Motion City Soundtrack - Delirium
4. Jane's Addiction - Mountain Song
5. Faith No More - Epic
6. The Get Up Kids - Ten Minutes
7. Paramore - Ignorance
8. Anti-Flag - Power To The Peaceful
9. Faith No More - We Care A Lot
10. The Get Up Kids - Holiday
11. Jane's Addiction - Stop!
12. AFI - Miss Murder
13. Motion City Soundtrack - Disappear
14. Paramore - Brick By Boring Brick
15. AFI - Medicate
16. Jimmy Eat World - Blister
17. Motion City Soundtrack - Everything Is Alright
18. Jimmy Eat World - Sweetness