Great news gang! Paramore are coming back to Cardiff! It’s been FIVE WHOLE YEARS since they last graced the Welsh capital and, even better, this time they’re bringing Bloc Party with them. Which is just ace isn’t it?

So, to celebrate, we thought we’d give you some tips on some absolute Paramore bangers which, if you’re not aware of already, you should get into your ears to prepare for what is practically guaranteed to be a fantastic night. 

AIN’T IT FUN

Ain’t It Fun, from Paramore’s self-titled album, is a turbo banger of super high proportions. Pulling in elements of gospel, funk, new wave, and rock the song is a bouncy knee-slapper to really shake it off to. Plus, it is just super fun to dance to which is ideal for a Saturday night boogie in the arena. Along with the saccharine-sweet Still Into You, it also heralded Paramore’s return from exile, and departure from the emo sound they’d become so famous for. 

HARD TIMES

Taking those new wave influences even further, Hard Times was the first single dropped from the band’s fifth album After Laughter and pulls them towards what sounds like a big ol’ disco tropical-pop-rock mashup, with its bubblegum sound hiding Hayley Williams’ experience of depression. Of course, that theme of sad lyrics to happy beats runs across After Laughter, and is why both the album and the song marked a new era for the band – including the return of Zac Farro to the fold after him and brother, Josh, left with some controversy in 2010. Plus, it’s a proper bop. What’s not to love?

ALL I WANTED

A true gem in the Paramore catalogue, its emo heart and yearning lyrics making it a fan favourite very quickly. Written about Williams’ feelings after her then-boyfriend left on tour, the song has one of the frontwoman’s finest vocal moments so far hitting into the final chorus. Curiously, it was never played live until last year’s emo nostalgia fest When We Were Young in Las Vegas – when Paramore opened with it. It’s made a handful of appearances since then, so who knows if it’ll make it to the UK? We certainly hope so. 

C’EST COMME ÇA

Coming from the band’s new album This Is Why, C’est Comme Ça has a distinctly British influence in the form of Williams’ spoken-singing style being inspired by Dry Cleaning and Yard Act and its intro sounding a bit close to Hard-Fi’s indie ‘classic’ Hard To Beat. Disgustingly catchy, and scratching a very specific bit of the brain, it’s also seemingly possible to NOT dance along – based on videos from recent Paramore shows showing Williams demanding the crowd not to move an inch during the song. Try not to dance to C’est Comme Ça challenge? Difficulty level: EXPERT.

DECODE

2008 seems a simpler time, doesn’t it? No responsibilities, big eyeliner, even bigger fringes, and of course – Twilight. Coming from the cultural behemoth’s soundtrack is Decode, which propelled the band to a somehow even bigger level of stardom. It’s also, arguably, one of the quintessential emo bangers: move over Misery Business, Decode is here baby! The angsty guitars, the big drums, and Williams’ amazing vocals really grabbed the world by the throat here, with the song going double platinum in the US and getting nominated for a Grammy. Not bad for a song about a book/film people tend to avoid admitting they loved, isn’t it?

Paramore, Cardiff International Arena, Sat 15 Apr.

Tickets: £59.50 (sold out). Info: here

words JOSHUA WILLIAMS