Riot! World Tour

Lore & Background

The tour followed a period of lineup changes. Before work on Riot! began, bassist Jeremy Davis was expelled from the band due to 'his lack of work ethic and participation in things that [the rest of the band] didn't agree with,' according to guitarist Josh Farro. After his departure, the Farro brothers convinced Hayley Williams to bring Taylor York as guitarist, though Williams insisted on Davis' reinstatement. An agreement was reached: Davis returned as bassist, and York became the band's touring guitarist only. The album's title, Riot!, came from Williams explaining that during the writing process their 'thoughts and emotions were coming out so fast that we couldn't control them,' comparing it to a riot. The tour brought this raw energy to life.

In Their Own Story

On March 13, 2007, it was announced that guitarist Hunter Lamb left the group to focus on family. In April and May, the band went on a headlining tour of the U.S., supported by the Almost, This Providence, Love Arcade and Quietdrive. Riot! was released on June 12, following the debut of 'Misery Business' on the radio. From late June to late August, the band went on the 2007 edition of Warped Tour. In October and November, the group went on a co-headlining US tour with the Starting Line. In early April 2008, the band appeared at the Bamboozle Left festival. In April and May, the band went on a co-headlining US tour with Jimmy Eat World. In July, the band performed on the 2008 edition of Warped Tour for a week. In July and August, the band went on a US tour with Jack's Mannequin, Paper Route and Phantom Planet.

Reader's Guide

The tour's setlists drew from Riot! and the band's debut, All We Know Is Falling. The lead single 'Misery Business' was a breakthrough hit, credited with introducing the band to a mainstream audience. The album's third and fourth singles, 'Crushcrushcrush' and 'That's What You Get,' were also successful. For the 'That's What You Get' video shoot, Williams explained that given the fragile state of the band, they kept things low-key, surrounding themselves with friends and family. She said, 'We had tons of friends there, and it really just felt like a hangout session.' The tour included a mix of headlining dates, co-headlining tours, and festival appearances like Warped Tour. The album was re-released in late 2007 as an MVI CD/DVD, which included the ability to remix 'Crushcrushcrush' and 'Misery Business' using the program U-MYX.

Did You Know?

• The album's title Riot! came from Hayley Williams saying their 'thoughts and emotions were coming out so fast that we couldn't control them,' comparing it to a riot.
• During production, Paramore held an online contest titled 'The Last Song You'll Ever Sing' where fans submitted YouTube videos for the chance to sing backing vocals on 'Born for This.' The winner was Mary Bonney of McLean, Virginia.
• The eleventh track 'Born for This' contains the line 'we want the airwaves back,' from the song 'Liberation Frequency' by the Swedish hardcore band Refused.
• Bassist Jeremy Davis was expelled from the band before Riot! but was later reinstated after an agreement involving the remaining three members.
• The album's fourth single 'That's What You Get' was released just over a week after Paramore cancelled their European tour to work on 'personal issues.'