Entertainment

Paramore and more

Paramore singer Hayley Williams beckons a larger crop of devotees to Hammerstein Ballroom last night for the trio’s latest gig. (
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There was a time — not all that long ago — when going to a Paramore gig was sort of like being at a giant day-care unit for troubled teens. But the much-broader fan base out in force at Hammerstein Ballroom last night is a mark of how much the Tennessee trio has progressed both musically and personally.

It’s something they seem keen to play up from the very first moment, as singer Hayley Williams and guitarist Taylor York opened the set with an acoustically delivered “Moving On” — a pointed statement of closure after the internal strife that prompted founding members Josh and Zac Farro to leave in 2010 under acrimonious circumstances. Williams, York and bassist Jeremy Davis certainly didn’t spend much time dwelling on the past as they unfurled a string of songs from their new, self-titled album that recently hit No. 1 on the charts thanks to an impressive array of radio-friendly choruses and stylistic experiments. The zig-zagging riffs and “Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs” style snarl of “Now” is one of Paramore’s more pronounced attempts to do away with the old and it has resulted in one of their best songs to date. Similarly, “Ain’t It Fun” found them dabbling in some surprisingly smart funk grooves — something that would have been unimaginable during their days of peddling predictable emo-pop. It’s a testament to this new streak of creativity that throughout the night, the crowd sang just as loudly and passionately to the new material as they do to early hits such as “Misery Business” and “Decode.”

Another contributing factor of Paramore’s expanded appeal lies with Williams and her growing status as a female style icon. But being a Cosmo cover girl hasn’t distracted her from her duties as a rock ’n’ roll frontwoman, and throughout the show, the 24-year-old often looked like a flame-haired blur, bounding from one side of the huge Hammerstein stage to the other and barely missing a note. At one point, Williams even invited a gaggle of fans on stage to dance to the anthem of self-acceptance that is “Anklebiters” and showed that she hasn’t lost touch with the band’s fiercely loyal following. It was a gesture that seemed a touch contrived, but one that clearly meant the world to the kids who got to stand next to their idol for just a few minutes.

As they rounded off the night with the current single “Still Into You,” the euphoria around the venue felt inescapable. While most bands who’ve been around for almost a decade usually find themselves looking back at more youthful and carefree time, it’s patently clear that Paramore’s best days are in front of them. It just goes to show that growing up doesn’t always have to be such a drag.