Paramore have waited a long time to headline Reading Festival, and what a memorable show it turned out to be for them.
Bouncing on to the stage in a whirlwind of energy, Hayley Williams, burst into opening number ‘Still In To You’, bounding across the stage as if that was what she had been waiting for since Paramore first opened the main stage in 2007.
Williams was barely recognisable sporting short green/blue hair, burst into ‘That’s What You Get’ as cannons fired yellow and purple confetti into the crowd
Then the sound cut out!
At first it was only briefly during ‘Ignorance’ and the band seemed unaware of the hitches as they carried on with the sound popping back in.
Hayley then shouted out to the crowd that they’ve missed Reading and that they didn’t have a fourth album the last time they played the same stage at Reading, and then thanked the crowd. Stating ‘The only reason we’re here is because of you guys, thank you so much’
Followed by a war cry of ‘we are Paramore’ the band burst into ‘Pressure’ before Hayley stopped to deliver a heartfelt address to the audience.
And then the sound cut out a second time!
The crowd started to boo at the technical faults and confusion was etched across the face of Hayley, she then pulled out her ear piece and sat down on the stage.
It could have gone all wrong, some bands would have left the stage in a fit of rage, but not Paramore!
Ever the professionals, they turned a technical hitch into one of the most breathtaking and rare festival moments that no one can predict but will be talking about forever.
“We just wanted to make sure you never forgot the time we headlined Reading and Leeds,” she joked into the only working microphone as her fellow band members came and sat by her side at the front of the stage.
The band, aware that the sound wasn’t going to come back on immediately, decided to play an impromptu acoustic version of ‘The Only Exception’. The guitar most likely could be heard by very few people, except Williams, it was essentially her singing into the microphone and her incredible vocals blasted out over a see of lights lit up from phones in the crowd and a sing along in a very special moment that not a single person could have anticipated on arrival at the festival.
“Oh my gosh I am never going to forget this,” said Williams at the end of The Only Exception.
Proving exactly why they deserve the headline slot Paramore showed their talent and their humility in that moment, before Reading Festival boss Melvin Benn appeared on stage, whispered in Hayley’s ear, and then the show carried on.
Without even a hint of being knocked off their stride, Paramore finished their set as Orange confetti blasted out into the Reading air for ‘Misery Business’. A fan in a dinosaur onesie was plucked from the crowd to join in. Which she duly did.
Closing with ‘Ain’t It Fun’ everyone in the crowd realised they had witnessed something quite special.