Watch Hayley Williams pause a Paramore show to stop a fight in the crowd in Toronto, Canada

Hayley Williams on stage with Paramore
(Image credit: Twitter)

Paramore aren't exactly the first band you'd imagine putting on a show where fights might break out, but that's exactly what happened at a concert the band played in Toronto, Canada earlier this week. Playing the city's History venue on Monday night (November 7), the pop punk/emo superstars were only four songs into their set when something seemingly kicked off in the crowd in front of them, as documented in a fan-filmed video since uploaded to social media.

Spotting the commotion as Paramore breeze through Caught In The Middle, taken from 2017's After Laughter album, singer Hayley Williams asks her bandmates to stop playing. "Everybody OK?" she asks, as the video swerves round to catch the fall-out of the apparent rumble. "OK, we got a fight?" she adds, before noting, "Oh, man. What do you guys think this is, like a Terror show?"

Clearly exasperated by the situation, Williams goes on to point out that Paramore are "not a hardcore band", before checking on everyone involved and inviting the two guilty parties to "split up". 

"You got me up here acting like a teacher. Detention for everyone!" the singer then jokes to laughs from the crowd. Finally, things properly calm down, Williams warning that she "better not have to do that again" owing to having to stop the band's click-track, before asking "where were we?" and continuing the show.

You may like

Watch the potential dicey but ultimately happily ended moment below.

Paramore recently unveiled comeback single This Is Why, with their new album of the same name arriving February 10 via Atlantic. They have also announced UK, Ireland and North American tour dates for next year.

Paramore UK and Ireland 2023 tour dates

April 13: Dublin Ireland 3Arena
April 15: Cardiff International Arena
April 17: Glasgow OVO Hydro
April 18: Manchester AO Arena
April 20: London O2 Arena
April 22: Birmingham Utilita Arena

Paramore North America 2023 tour dates

Oct 02: Bakersfield Mechanics Bank Theater, CA
Oct 04: Magna The Great SaltAir, UT
Oct 06: Omaha Orpheum Theater Omaha, NE
Oct 08: Oklahoma City The Criterion, OK
Oct 09: Austin City Limits, TX
Oct 11: Chesterfield The Factory, MO 
Oct 14: Bonner Springs Azura Amphitheater, KS
Oct 16: Austin City Limits, TX
Oct 22: Las Vegas When We Were Young Festival, NV
Oct 23: Las Vegas When We Were Young Festival, NV
Oct 29: Las Vegas When We Were Young Festival, NV
Nov 07: Toronto HISTORY, CAN
Nov 09: Chicago The Chicago Theatre, IL
Nov 11: Cincinnati The Andrew J Brady Music Center, OH
Nov 15: Atlanta Tabernacle, GA
Nov 16: St. Augustine The St. Augustine Amphitheatre, FL
Nov 19: Mexico City Corona Capital Festival, MEX

Merlin Alderslade
Executive Editor, Louder

Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site. 

Read more
Halsey in 2025 and Knocked Loose singer Bryan Garris in 2023
“Absolutely wicked night!” Halsey went to see hardcore breakout stars Knocked Loose live last night
Finneas and Hayley Williams
"Thank you so much for really changing my life with your music": Watch Paramore's Hayley Williams do a surprise performance of crushcrushcrush with Finneas at his show in Nashville
Halsey in 2024
Pop megastar Halsey booked hardcore shows when she was 16
Brittany Howard
Alabama Shakes leader Brittany Howard just played her first gig with her new hardcore band Kumite, and personally offended punk rock gatekeepers are already crying hot salty tears just thinking about it
Jane's Addiction press short, torn
The blow that ended it all: How the return of Jane's Addiction was floored not by musical differences, but by a punch thrown by their singer
PUP
PUP announce UK tour, pay tribute to "the unsung heroes who run the merch table" with their brilliantly inventive lyric video for new single Paranoid
Latest in
Rick Astley and Rick Wakeman
“Rick Wakeman’s solo albums were just brilliant… when I heard he was doing Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace, I bought 12 tickets”: Prog is the reason Rick Astley became a singer
Ozzy Osbourne, Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Jim Morrison and Joe Strummer onstage
The greatest gig I've ever seen: 24 writers pick the most memorable live shows of their lives
Marillion in 1984
From debauched prog revivalists to pioneers of the internet age: The Marillion albums you should definitely listen to
Queen posing for a photograph in 1978
"Freddie’s ideas were off the wall and cheeky and different, and we tended to encourage them, but sometimes they were not brilliant.” Queen's Brian May reveals one of Freddie Mercury's grand ideas that got vetoed by the rest of the band
Mogwai
“The concept of cool and uncool is completely gone, which is good and bad… people are unashamedly listening to Rick Astley. You’ve got to draw a line somewhere!” Mogwai and the making of prog-curious album The Bad Fire
Adrian Smith performing with Iron Maiden in 2024
Adrian Smith names his favourite Iron Maiden song, even though it’s “awkward” to play
Latest in News
Queen posing for a photograph in 1978
"Freddie’s ideas were off the wall and cheeky and different, and we tended to encourage them, but sometimes they were not brilliant.” Queen's Brian May reveals one of Freddie Mercury's grand ideas that got vetoed by the rest of the band
Adrian Smith performing with Iron Maiden in 2024
Adrian Smith names his favourite Iron Maiden song, even though it’s “awkward” to play
Robert Smith, Lauren Mayberry, Bono
How your purchase of albums by The Cure, U2, Chvrches and more on Record Store Day can help benefit children living in war zones worldwide
Cradle Of Filth performing in 2021 and Ed Sheeran in 2024
Cradle Of Filth’s singer claims Ed Sheeran tried to turn a Toys R Us into a live music venue
The Beatles in 1962
"The quality is unreal. How is this even possible to have?" Record shop owner finds 1962 Beatles' audition tape that a British label famously decided wasn't good enough to earn Lennon and McCartney's band a record deal
Lizzo and Sister Rosetta Tharpe onstage
"This is my baby, my passion – because Rosetta deserves": Lizzo to play rock'n'roll pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in upcoming biopic