Halfnoise Concert Review
Written by Jeff Ramella on April 1, 2019
By Shannon Donaghy
Brooklyn’s Market Hotel is a small unique venue right off the Myrtle Ave subway station, so close in fact, that you can see the trains running by through the windows behind the stage. The venue was nothing short of impressive, especially because it didn’t seem like it would be much more than a loft at first. On Friday, March 30th I had the pleasure of seeing one of my favorite bands in this quirky hidden gem of a venue, Halfnoise. The openers, Liam Benzvi and Lip Talk were absolutely delightful in both beat and energy and seeing them live has made a fan out of me. For me, getting the chance to see Halfnoise was a massive privilege after being turned away at Philadelphia’s Boot & Saddle for being underage, a venue that my sister had bought us Halfnoise tickets for not knowing that it was 21+ back in June 2018. That being said, when I won these tickets, I was over the moon. Halfnoise is the musical project of Zac Farro, who some of you may recognize as the drummer of genre-neutral band Paramore. I am obsessed with Paramore, and I have been for a very long time, so much so that I have their 3-bar logo tattooed on my body. Halfnoise is what Farro created following the dramatic exit he and his brother made from Paramore back in 2010, and even in rejoining the band in 2016, Farro never stopped Halfnoise. If anything, the reunion has made him even more excited to keep creating music under Halfnoise’s name, something that is entirely his own.
It’s abundantly obvious that Farro has incredible talent just by listening to the drum beats he creates on Paramore’s various tracks, but if you don’t also indulge in listening to Halfnoise, and better yet, seeing Farro perform live, you will only get to witness a mere fraction of Farro’s genius. He is an incredible entertainer and I am consistently shocked that Halfnoise has yet to occupy a larger venue than something like the Market Hotel. From the moment Farro steps on stage, you can tell he is entirely in his element. The energy he radiates is completely infectious and addicting; I couldn’t stop smiling watching him high kick and shake his tambourine to the beat. Farro has done an outstanding job changing hats; molding to Paramore’s everchanging aesthetic, from RIOT!’s 2000’s pop punk to the neon-lighted mock 80’s pop-rock of After Laughter, and keeping Halfnoise an aesthetic, visually and musically, entirely its own for nearly 8 years. His most recent single “Who Could You Be,” is a spectacular display of talent even before you put it on stage, and seeing Farro perform this track, one of his most successful releases to date, was extremely exciting. Every song performed from his 2018 EP Flowerss took my breath away. There wasn’t a moment when I wasn’t dancing or delighted to see Farro doing what he loves. Zac Farro and Halfnoise truly have the musical power and energy to compel an entire stadium to their feet, and I am anxiously awaiting the moment I can see them in a larger venue, shining like they do. Until then, I will thank WMSC Radio endlessly for allowing me the chance to see such a talented and infectiously positive artist perform at one of the coolest venues in New York City.
