Honda Civic tour rolls through Dallas

The evening of Friday, Sept. 10 was a combination of situations and scenarios familiar to me, but presented in a way that was completely new.

I had experienced the Honda Civic Tour, whose 2010 lineup included Paramore, Tegan and Sara, New Found Glory, and newcomer band Kadawatha, back in 2006 when the headliners included The Black Eyed Peas. I had also seen Paramore in 2007 when they were still up-and-comers playing big shows in small venues. I had the extreme pleasure of experiencing Tegan and Sara earlier this year in February when they rocked the Palladium Ballroom. Even with all my previous experience, nothing could have prepared me for that evening and show.

I was a surprised to see that New Found Glory was included on the tour, let alone still making music, because I first listened to them in 2001 and hadn't really heard from them since. I took back all my preconceived notions about their abilities, however, when I witnessed how they affected the crowd. Even if the mostly young teen crowd didn't know their lyrics, the band worked well and at least got them in rock mode, jumping around and screaming excitedly.

Tegan and Sara came on stage soon after, and since they were the sole reason I attended the concert, I couldn't have been more ecstatic. They immediately started off their approximately 10 song set with a song I had hoped and prayed they would perform, "Living Room," from their third album, "If It Was You." I fell in love with the twin sisters all over again, but recovered in time to hear the rest of their set, which included popular favorites such as "Walking with a Ghost" and "The Con," but also old fan-favorites like "So Jealous."

Sadly, Tegan and Sara's set was missing the ultimate characteristic of any true Tegan and Sara show – their adorable and indispensable on-stage banter. If you ask me, the banter was kept to a minimum since it wasn't technically "their" show, it was Paramore's. This realization immediately hardened my heart toward the Franklin, Tennessee native band.

For the second time that night, I was forced to recall my earlier feelings and thoughts because, if one thing is true, Paramore can sure as hell put on a show. Their appearance was preceded by a large silk curtain covering the entire stage, with flashing lights set behind it to cast shadows of the band preparing to perform. It was extremely picturesque, and it definitely pumped up the crowd, who had been screaming and yelling at the sight of the band on a screen or the name of the band on a wall all night.

Paramore performs well on the basis that lead singer Haley Williams is the performer and the rest of the band are there to, well, be the band. Williams does not let her small physique get in the way of her stage presence. There's even a box at the front and center of the stage, which Williams would intermittingly stand on to rock the crowd more effectively.

Paramore played many songs from their newest album "Brand New Eyes," which was released last September, but also older tracks from their previous albums "All We Know is Falling" (2005) and "Riot!" (2007).

All in all, the evening was a tremendous success, and hundreds of crazy teenage fans, along with plenty of youthful adults, agree wholeheartedly with me.