Dirty Honey Deliver a Sweet Performance at the El Rey

Photos and words by Matt Stasi

In 2019 we saw Dirty Honey, as an unsigned band, top the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart with their hit single “When I’m Gone”, as well as share the stage with acts like Guns N’ Roses, The Who, and Altar Bridge. Feats unheard of in today’s day and age in music. With the onset of 2020, it was Dirty Honey’s turn to take headlining reigns with their “Rolling 7’s” tour. And on Friday night they steamrolled into their hometown of Los Angeles to play the iconic El Rey theatre as their last stop of the six week tour with UK rockers The Amazons tackling supporting role.

The Amazons come out guns blazing as they rip through a thunderous guitar-filled set that quickly make fans out of an already almost full venue. Lead vocalist/ guitarist is an enigma as he commands the stage with leading man charm. Drummer Joe Emmett is also an awesome sight as he violently punishes the skins. Hailing all the way from Reading, Berkshire, Thomson tells us that this is the first time they’ve played a venue like the El Rey. One would never know as the quartet have countless fans singing along lyric for lyric, and chanting for more as the set finishes.

Classic rock can be heard over the loudspeaker as the venue fills up way past capacity during the break in sets. There is a palpable buzz throughout the air in anticipation for the local heroes. Behind me I heard the words, “man, that’s some major doobage” in response to the very odiferous trails of smoke filling the air.

Finally, the time comes. Dirty Honey strut their stuff onto the stage causing the crowd to erupt. Bassist Justin Smolian tips his shades to give the crowd a wink. Guitarist John Notto blasts into a riiff, and drummer Corey Coverstone follows suit with well oiled precision Then the effortlessly charismatic lead vocalist Marc Labelle saunters out last, giving the riled up crowd his trademark grin. He chants in growing intensity, “We. Are. Dirty. HONEY”, and with that our heroes burn into a pummeling version of “Scars”.

Heads bang as the rockers offer up crowd favorites “Break You” and “Fire Away”. Then Labelle announces that they will be serving up some new music for his hometown crowd. With amps turned to eleven they blast into the groovy new tune “The Wire”. After “Heartbreaker”, Coverstone moves right into a jazzy drum solo that sends the fans into a frenzy.

Next up is an Aerosmith classic, “Last Child”. They play the tune with a fresh intensity, adding their own stank to the well known hit. Notto blasts into an impossibly monstrous guitar solo, eating up the stage with the Angus Young type intensity.

It’s about this time where LaBelle makes the ultimate rock-n-roll move of climbing up the rafters of the venue. From high above he tears into Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”. Fans watch on in awe of the uber ballsy frontman. If there was ever any question about the authenticity of this group, it is completely squashed by now. They are for real. And they have their eyes set on bringing rock music back to the forefront in peoples’ minds. And they have the talent and the swagger to do just that.

If you missed this tour, don’t beat yourself up. Do yourself a favor and put them on your radar. And the next time they play in your area, get yourself out to see them. They are the type of band you will want to see live. And want to see often. And chances are, we’ll be seeing a helluva lot of these guys on down the road.

The Amazons