I was dying inside when I knew I couldn’t watch Paramore when they first came to the Philippines in 2010. They’ve been coming back often after that, but it took a while for them to come back after their 2013 tour. I was too young and broke to afford tickets to go at that time besides, flying from Davao to Manila, spending for accommodating and food for a few nights isn’t an easy feat for a college kid who didn’t know how to save (back then).
When Linkin Park’s other frontman, Chester Bennington, took his own life–I vowed never to miss any of my favorite bands’ live performances ever again! Paramore was my top 2, and it just made perfect sense that while they’re still a band, I should see them. I wasted too much time from 2010 to 2013 not seeing them, and a lot of changes happened. I grew, and they grew as well. Life happened.
The Farro brothers left. The band becomes just three. A band member went berserk and sought legal action against the group and its management, and I thought they’d never come back or even have a new album again! But they did!
Disaster struck when I found out that tickets were sold out in a matter of hours upon being available. I was distraught! It couldn’t happen! When I had the money to spend, there wasn’t anything money could buy to get me in that show to see Paramore live for the first time!
Less than a month before their original tour date, Claudine, my Cebuaña friend messaged me that she knew someone selling tickets for Paramore. It didn’t take me more than a minute to decide, and in less than 20 minutes, the seller and I sealed the deal. I finally had the ticket to go to Paramore, and it cost me the same price as I would buy directly from the ticket center.
They originally were supposed to have the concert in February, but due to Hayley’s health, they had to reschedule to late August. It didn’t faze me so much, but it meant another wait to an already long wait. And so I waited.
The tour date finally came and I never really had to prepare much for it. I already memorized everything they ever released, not because I had to but because it was the only natural response to listening to their songs since forever.
My good friend, Dee, went with me as well. We made it with enough time to eat, take photos and find our seats. Though seriously, who needs seats for a Paramore concert? Anyway, for those who weren’t able to see the show, their official setlist included Grudges, Still Into You, Rose-Colored Boy, That’s What You Get, crushcrushcrush, Fake Happy, Playing God, Forgiveness, Ignorance, Pool, Passionfruit (Drake Cover), Misguided Ghost, 26, Caught in the Middle, Idle Worship, No Friend, Misery Business, Ain’t It Fun, Told You So, All That Love Is (Halfnoise) and Hard Times.
Yes, you got that right! A total of 21 songs of epicness! Although Hayley didn’t sing my forever favorite song “My Heart” because that was from, they’re first ever album “All We Know is Falling,” up to know I still can’t get over that this actually happened.
The crowd was amazing. We literally lit up MOA Arena and almost made Hayley cry. She made us cry by singing everything on their latest album “After Laughter” and by being honestly sincere by talking to us like we were guests in her living room. What I would never forget was asking Hayley asking us to raise our imaginary glasses to misery. She adds and I paraphrase “Here’s to making mistakes and growing up!”
I grew up with Paramore. As a band and as individuals, life happened. We grew up and made mistakes, as Hayley said. And the rest of the night was pure musical headbanging and appreciation up until they said goodbye and promised to be back again.
