Concerts

Concert Recap: Fake Happy — A Tribute to Paramore, Live in Myrtle Beach, SC (July 25, 2025)

I don't often prefer tribute bands to the original artist, but Fake Happy is a welcome exception

Chris Cooney

29 Jul 2025 • 6 min read

I've seen my fair share of cover bands and tribute acts over the last few years, and it's not often that I find myself preferring them over the original band/artist. However, I can confidently say that Fake Happy is not only a phenomenal tribute to Paramore, but they're now my favorite tribute band I've had the pleasure of seeing live. If that opinion wasn't solidified after my first time seeing them in Wilmington, NC at the end of June, then it surely was after seeing them tear up the stage at Myrtle Beach's House of Blues. Of course, I love seeing people from my local music scene doing well and succeeding with big things, but I truly believe that this group of people has something special with this project, and it's so cool to be able to watch it happen in real time.

Before Fake Happy brought the music of Paramore to House of Blues, the NC local heroes in To Begin Anew got the night started on the right note. It's a two hour drive from our home base of Jacksonville, NC to Myrtle Beach, and an easy one at that, but it's still far enough outside of the usual rotation of where some of the local bands I've come to know and love typically play shows, so it was a lot of fun getting to watch them play in a new place, especially one as legendary as the House of Blues. While TBA's music is heavier than Paramore's, the crowd still seemed to love having them start the show. I was upstairs interviewing Fake Happy during the first half of their set, so it was awesome to see the audience rocking out and enjoying their performance. As I made my way into the photo pit for their last couple songs, it was easy to feel the energy between the crowd and the band. They surely made a lot of new fans at this show, and as someone who's gotten to spend some time with them over the last couple years both on and off camera, I'm so glad to see them have a favorable reception at such a big show.

Following To Begin Anew was Turtle Smash, and while I only caught the first couple songs of their set, which were both covers of iconic 2000s pop-punk songs, it was easy to see and feel the excitement and hype from the audience. They clearly understood the assignment and brought the right energy to make sure the crowd was ready for Fake Happy. Additionally, there was a brief intermission between Turtle Smash and Fake Happy that came in the form of Tenacious D tribute Rize of the D, who filled a 10-minute or so changeover with acoustic music and comedy and made that time fly by. Vocalist Zachary Lancaster perfectly channel's the spirit of Jack Black, and it's so much fun to watch. They also had a brief set at Fake Happy's Wilmington show and they fit the short support slot so well, but I would be interested to see what they do with the extra time that comes from a full set.

Fake Happy commanded the stage from the moment they stepped on, with the crowd responding excitedly before a single note was even played. Starting things off with the upbeat banger "Ignorance," the band covered so much ground from Paramore's discography, from All We Know is Falling to After Laughter. There was no shortage of songs to choose from, but the setlist was sequenced very well, with no room for lulls in interest or tiring out the audience. With their set, they even managed to fit in a cover of Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer," (featuring To Begin Anew's Chris Vance) along with acoustic tributes to both Loretta Lynn and Ozzy Osbourne.

Visually, it's clear to see how much time and attention the band has paid to the elements for their video walls and lighting. Drummer Johnny Cutt in particular has spent hours perfecting their visuals, and it definitely enhances the live show experience. That being said, you could take all of that stuff off the stage and just have them play the music, and it would be well worth the price of admission.

I'm not just saying this, but watching Fake Happy's tribute to Paramore made me feel like I was watching the real deal — as a matter of fact, I prefer watching them over the original artist. Not only do they perform these songs flawlessly, but a large part of their set consists of the classics and hits from Paramore's earlier days that I grew up on, but Paramore themselves don't put in their own setlists very often anymore. Vocally, Morgan Riley's able to hit the same notes as Hayley Williams with the same intensity and emotion, there's a slightly deeper resonance to her voice that I personally prefer to that of Williams. Fake Happy's band, consisting of Morgan Riley on vocals, Roger Glenn on guitar, Lukis Weaver on bass, and Johnny Cutt on drums, do a fantastic job of bringing the old-school pop-punk glory days of Paramore back to life in a way that not only evokes nostalgia, but exemplifies the excitement of live music. If they're ever playing nearby, I can't recommend checking out one of their shows enough.

Fake Happy Setlist: