Review by Shawn Perry
Dirty Honey photos by Joe Schaeffer
The much-lauded, highly anticipated Young Guns Tour landed in Nashville shy of one gun: Mammoth WVH. Just days after celebrating a Grammy nomination for best song, Wolfgang Van Halen announced that his band would not be at the remaining six shows of the tour because members of his team had tested positive for COVID. That left co-headliner Dirty Honey with the opportunity to add a supporter, extend their set, and finish the tour on a high note. They took the ball and ran with it. By the end of the night, Dirty Honey pretty much had the Nashville crowd in the palm of their hand.
Though fans had the option of getting refunds because of Mammoth WVH’s cancellation, the wide and sprawling Marathon Music Works venue, primarily standing room only, was three-quarters full. Naked Gypsy Queens — a Nashville-based hard rock quartet hired as the warm-up for the remaining shows — faithfully took the stage at 8:00 sharp and attempted to win over the all-ages audience. For the most part, they succeeded.
Over the course of 45 minutes, Naked Gypsy Queens pulled out numbers from their recently released EP Georgiana. Singer and guitarist Chris Attigliato did his best to work the front line and exert his gritty vocals over the rest of the band — guitarist Cade Pickering, bassist Bo Howard, and drummer Landon Herring — as they drudged up a heavy undertow. Imbibing the blues with a soulful lust, the foursome’s set came to a sudden end, but it left a lasting impression. At least enough to attract a throng over to the merch table for a meet-and-greet during intermission.
At a little after nine, Dirty Honey came out swinging with “California Dreamin’,” the first single from their self titled debut. The smooth and stylish rocker was a perfect opening line, as the swarm shuffled forward with each hook-lined riff that resonated from guitarist John Noto’s nimble fingers. Singer Marc LaBelle immediately assumed control with his powerful howl and cool-headed disposition. It would serve him well throughout the night.
Tonight’s set was a mixed bag of half the songs from the 2021 album, all six from the group’s 2019 self-titled EP, and a few choice covers to keep everyone on their toes. Newer songs like “The Wire” and “Tied Up” cozied up nicely beside energetic favorites like “Heartbreaker” and “Scars.” Then, when no one was looking, they slipped into their grungy, roving cover of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy,” which they debuted on an ice-covered lake for the 2022 NHL Winter Classic.
Early on, LaBelle said: “Sorry Wofgang isn’t here. But we get to play longer.” That received a roar of approval. Later, he solicited requests and audience participation. When a few hooligans on one side of the stage got a little unruly, the singer casually tempered the ruckus and brought everyone back into the groove. With his wide-brimmed hat and a confident swagger, LaBelle definitely possesses all the attributes of a classic rock and roll lead singer and frontman.
Meanwhile, his band mates — guitarist John Notto, bassist Justin Smolian and drummer Corey Coverstone — each grabbed a few minutes of the spotlight to show off their crazy skills on their respective instruments. There’s no denying these guys can play — together or on their own exploratory side trips. Notto strummed a few chords of Led Zeppelin’s “Ten Years Gone,” fired off the last of his fiery arpeggios, and the group fell into a rocket-fueled jab at AC/DC’s “Shoot To Thrill.” The congregation was in heaven.
The main set closed out with “Rolling 7s,” the group’s crunchy Top 10 hit from 2019. Dirty Honey returned for a one-song encore, teasing the bedazzled faces with bits of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” and “Sweet Emotion” before going for the full monty on “Last Child.” As they took their final bows, it was clear that Dirty Honey is at a turning point and graduating to the big leagues. Once they conquer Europe this summer on bills with Guns N’ Roses and KISS, there’s no telling where they’ll go. Most likely, it will be bigger and better. Or maybe dirtier and sweeter. We shall see.
