The Journey Begins...

                My passion, although some might call it an obsession, for music is what brought me to writing this blog. However, music is such a broad topic that I can go on endlessly about,  so I have decided to focus on one of the bands that have changed my life and truly make me believe in the power of music.

                This is a band from the small town of Franklin, Tennessee called Paramore. Let me tell you the story of how I discovered them and how they have become the number one band on my playlist. Back in the summer of 2007, I was going to a huge concert festival known as the Van’s Warped Tour with a few friends. My friend Phil was going on and on about a band that was going to be performing later in the day that he was in love with. None of us knew the band so no one really gave it much thought. The day progressed with us going from stage to stage, watching all of our favorite artists perform the songs we know and love. Now the thing I love about Warped Tour is they have tents set up all over that the bands hang out in to meet the fans and take the most memorable pictures that these diehard fans will never forget. Well Phil was one of these diehard fans and had hunted down the Paramore tent.  We were standing in line to meet the band when all of a sudden my sight became blurred and I felt as though I was spinning. The heat of the day had caught up to me and I needed some cool air, fast. My friend took me into the bathroom to get a cool towel and grab some water while Phil wouldn’t budge from the line. He was determined to meet the lead singer, and what he called the red headed rocker, Hayley Williams.

                If I could rewind time, I would go back to that day and make sure that I was in that line to meet Paramore because by the end of the night I was a fan and I was kicking myself for not being in that line. Once I got some water and food in me I was ready to continue on with the festival.  We wandered around for awhile and Phil was trying to get the group to walk over to one of the stages to watch Paramores performance but no one in the group new them and so they all said that they would pass. I on the other hand, am always up to discovering new music and open to anything so I agreed to go with him to watch them play. We eventually made our way over to catch the end of Flyleaf’s performance and wiggled our way up to the front of the stage.

                This moment still gives me chills when I think about it. This is when I knew that this band was going to have a big influence on my life. We are standing at the front of the stage when the three boys of the band walk out and take their places on the stage. Then Hayley comes bouncing out full of energy and ready to put on a show.  The first few notes of the song I found myself dancing along. It was infectious. The energy from the crowd was mirrored in the energy of the band and I only had to listen to a few seconds of the first song to know that I was in love with this band and their music. The sun was setting, the energy was high, and they were performing their newest song Misery Business and I was completely wrapped up in the moment.  They went on to play a full set involving old and new songs and I realized I didn’t want them to stop playing, and neither did the rest of the crowd.

                Coming back to present day I can confidently say that I am a huge fan of the group and their music. Their music does help me when I am down and I find that I will get lost in their lyrics and every time I hear Misery Business my mind will wonder back to that hot summer day in 2007 when I first discovered the intensity of their performances and the power of their music.