Chasing Carmen

When Hello Halo coalesced in late 2016, forming from the ashes of New York City rock band Chasing Carmen, they had no idea their first gig, just a few short months later, would entail headlining a sold-out Gramercy Theatre, one of NYC’s most prominent, storied venues. Since that incredible first gig in February 2017, Hello Halo’s five members—Paul Gimenez, lead vocalist; Jon Bernstein, lead guitarist; Zack Rome, rhythm guitarist; Jeremy Bernstein, bassist; and Paul Adler, drummer and backup vocalist—have done in a handful of months what it takes most bands their first few years to accomplish. Keeping a relatively low profile through the summer, the band put in the work: scheming about a first album, writing absurdly catchy riffs, beats, and lyrics at a feverish pace, and tracking with Rocky Gallo at Brooklyn’s Virtue and Vice Studios. After laying down several pieces of undeniable, inimitable ear candy, the boys headed out to St. Louis for a one-off show in August 2017 (it was actually in East St. Louis, in Illinois—a bleak industrial landscape populated by refineries, factories, gas stations, and more than a handful of strip joints—but that’s a story for another time). Now, the guys are back home in New York, working hard and playing even harder. They benefit from a wealth of experience: Most of the guys have played since primary school and much of the band still keep their feet firmly planted on the business side of the music industry. This means not only do they have highly refined skills as instrumentalists and songwriters, they’ve got plenty of friends, fans, and industry folks behind them. On the eve of releasing their first batch of songs, Hello Halo are prepped to come out guns blazing; if they were you, they’d be ready for a hell of a ride—oh, and probably a lot of beer. We are now Hello Halo!