Hayley Williams Takes the Stage at Forest Hills Stadium
Published: Monday, September 28, 2026
by Alyssa Mohammed
NEW YORK --- Hayley Williams continues her Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party Tour with two performances on September 16 and September 17 at Forest Hills Stadium in New York City. Doors opened at 6:30 PM but the evening began before Williams even appeared, with her opening acts Rico Nasty and Magalena Bay having opening shows at 7 PM; Their sets were not reviewed for this article. Sharply at 8 PM Hayley Williams took over the stadium, where it felt less like a venue built for thousands than a perfectly curated audience that shares both a history with her and her music.
For many fans, their history with the singer begins with Paramore. With her bold and dominating stage presence with her band mates, Williams carries the familiarity of the band’s presence as a frontwoman through her solo performances. Her voice still serves strong and powerful notes Williams has captivated lifelong fans through their many different eras of their lives. Rather than leaning on that legacy, Williams drew the crowd toward the world she built through her solo music career by dropping a transformative album in 2021. The result of her artistic sensibility felt personal without a façade made for the audience but also conserves her private life. Fans trusted her instincts and gave her the space to create and execute her work at her own pace.
The setlist though defaulted throughout the tour; the concert was shaped to fit the venue’s strict 10 PM curfew. Though Williams had a little under two-hour set, there was a relatively short window on stage. The set overall felt prompt but carefully orchestrated, flowing with a clear sense of purpose. It did not play like a staged event but instead held a pace that gave the evening the feeling of an immersive experience.
The setlist order was not always seamless through transitions, moving through a range of emotional shifts to a spike in adrenaline. Which compares to the complexity of the turmoil she portrays in her recent album. The early stretch established strong momentum, but the middle section fell a little flat, which made it anticlimactic. The last act of the performance shifted all that lost momentum into a strong and releasing end. The audience was engaged, responsive, and moshing during the final songs; a collective energy the middle had lacked.
Williams strongest asset despite her voice was her connect with her crowd; the audience was not merely watching but sucked into her small part of the world she created and let us into. Ready to follow her shifts in emotional moods, songs, and presence on stage. The audience’s responsiveness helped bridge the gaps between songs and gave the crowd a sense of community. The concert worked best when Haley performed her hits that carved her bold personality in her solo material. Despite the scale of the stadium the audience and connection felt intimate, most crowd members in the most pit were more interactive.
The venue was the only real downside to this concert due to obstructive viewing. Many fans complained that the general stage set up for Forest Hills Stadium disrupts their concert experience. Williams performed some songs on the left front corner but was blocked for the south wing of the audience seating. Accessibility is also a concern; getting around the stadium is limited for attendees. Yet, the sound helps compensate for these limitations. High-quality surround sound, playing into the immersive quality from Williams show.
Merchandise tables were both indoors at the stadium, one near the seating space and by concessions. Most merchandise tables leaned heavily towards physical media, while clothing options appeared limited. One standout from the tour-exclusive merchandise, a baby T-shirt printed with the words “Ms. Paramore,” a playful nod to Williams band and musical history that follows her. The balance between merchandise seemed more on the collectable format than on a wide range of apparel.
The central tension of the evening was also its appeal; Williams is inseparable from Paramore, but her audience can indulge in her solo work approaching her on different terms. On that 16 night in September, she embraced the fandom she had cultivated with her talent. Drove her solo career further with confidence and her own artistic flair that renewed her individuality.
This concert earns an 8.5/10, its opening act was strong, with a weaker middle act, finished with a compelling ending. The crowd and singer chemistry were off the charts, and sound made the show an immersive community enlightened experience. Williams is worth seeing on tour again. With setlists that gives more space for her discography – and relies on expected hits being performed in a rewarding way, Hayley Williams hits the mark.
For more information reach out to Alyssa Mohammed at alyssa.mohammed@student.shu.edu
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