In March, Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams began her first-ever solo tour for her third solo album, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party. The initial tour announcement generated incredible demand, with dates selling out near instantly.
Williams’ first independent release, EDAABP, highlights her career, the ripple effects of a bad 20-year contract with Atlantic Records, loss, loneliness, and, of course, ego death, all while experimenting with a range of musical styles.
The album rollout was unconventional. 17 singles were released through a MySpace era-inspired, password-protected website for Williams’ hair product company, Good Dye Young. Each track was then uploaded individually to streaming services. Soon after, fans were prompted to create their own playlists, inspiring the sequencing of the eventual album release.
I was lucky enough to hear that album live at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago on April 21.
Hayley Williams At A Bachelorette Party
Indie pop duo Water From Your Eyes opened the show around 7:30 with Williams taking the stage at 8 pm. Opening the set with the tongue-in-cheek love letter to anti-depressants, “Mirtazapine,” the night started off with a bang. Williams performed EDAABP in full, including a cover of Nina Simone’s “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.”
There’s a novelty to live shows. Artists often make slight variations in sound from their recordings, and you can experience songs in more resonant ways than you may have from listening on streaming.
During “Zissou” (a reference to Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou), Williams does a vocal trick where she taps her throat, creating a wavy effect, adding to the aquatic feel of the track.
She also reminds us she is a jack of all trades, putting a funk remix on “Kill Me,” an indie rock track about the burdens taken on by eldest daughters.
Not just a vocal marvel, though, Williams is also an advocate for social justice, outspoken on numerous topics, including racial and LGBTQ+ discrimination. In “True Believer,” the lyricism is center stage. Despite not featuring too many of her trademark impressive vocal demonstrations, it still became one of the most memorable songs from the album. Rather subdued in its feel, she pours her soul into the lyrics, singing of her own faith while calling out oppressive systems, religious hypocrisy, and her hometown of Nashville. Raw emotion and stage presence could be felt from anywhere in the venue.
Though each track varies sonically and thematically, they come together beautifully in this show. Marking her first venture as an independent artist, this tour feels creatively liberating for Williams as she steps into a new era.
What’s Next?
If you missed out on scoring tickets for this current tour, you’re in luck. On April 26, fans received a cryptic email with no subject line. The email contained a digital folder that opened to old tweets claiming that Paramore had become “The Hayley Williams Show.”
Quickly, social media was abuzz with rumors of more tour dates. Suspicion was confirmed when a date for Brazil, two dates at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and Queens (which sold out immediately), and a performance at the festival All Things Go in Maryland were announced.
Thursday, Williams officially announced a separate extended amphitheater tour in North and South America. Kicking off in September, the aptly named ‘Hayley Williams Show’ will feature music from her two previous solo albums, Petals For Armor and FLOWERS for VASES/descansos. Magdalena Bay, Rico Nasty, and Annie DiRusso will join Williams as supporting acts on the upcoming tour.
Continuing her efforts to keep scalpers and bots away and ensure real fans get their hands on tickets, Williams is hosting a verified presale registration. Once registered and verified, fans will receive a unique code by May 11 to purchase tickets during the presale period, which begins on May 12.
In the U.S., this tour will utilize Ticketmaster’s Face Value Exchange, helping fans get tickets at their original price. In most states, tickets are non-transferable and can only be resold at face value on Ticketmaster. However, in Illinois and New York, tickets can be transferred. Ticketmaster will still enforce Williams’s terms by maintaining resale prices at face value on its site.
Presale registration is now open until May 9 at 3 pm EST. General sale begins May 14.
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