The Young Guns Tour Shines in the City of Angels
Photos and words by Steve Rose
The Young Guns tour featuring Dirty Honey and Mammoth WVH rolled through Los Angeles for a sold out show at The Wiltern. Shortly after sundown, the line was already forming down the street from the venue’s entrance and right before doors opened, the line was wrapped around the block. It was great to have these two Los Angeles based bands back home for this special night. At a time when concerts are starting to come back, fans are eager and ready for the live music experience that can only be had in person and has been almost nonexistent over the past couple of years because of the pandemic.
Kicking things off was Mammoth WVH. The brainchild of Wolfgang Van Halen, this quartet put on a high-energy set of well constructed songs that had the audience engaged from the moment they started. Last year saw the release of their first album, a self titled debut that garnered praise from both fans and critics. The band’s set had some stand out numbers like “Mr. Ed,” “You’re to Blame,” a fantastic cover of Alice In Chains’ “Them Bones,” and “Don’t Back Down” which was the closing song. Wolfgang, having handled bass duties for Van Halen since the age of 15, is no stranger to the stage and looked very comfortable up there seizing this well deserved moment. It was nice to see the crowd respond so well to this band as they continue the legacy that his father and uncle helped establish in the Los Angeles rock n’ roll scene.
Shortly after 9pm, the house lights shut off and the members of Dirty Honey took the stage. When guitarist, John Notto, played the first few notes of “California Dreamin’,” the band’s opener, the crowd was ready for a rock show. Hands went up, cell phones went up, and the overall energy in the room was raised as well. It was great to see some kids on their parent’s shoulders as the next generation is already getting their first dose of rock n’ roll and moments like these prove that rock is healthy and thriving and not going anywhere.
Singer, Marc LaBelle, is a fantastic frontman with vocal chops as good as you’ll find and a stage presence second to none. He would often extend his microphone into the audience to get them involved as they would belt out the song’s chorus and they really fed off of that. There’s something special and familiar in the rock world about the tone of a Gibson Les Paul plugged into a Marshall amp. It’s a tried a true formula of cool and John Notto had everyone captivated by his playing and well-crafted solos. Bassist, Justin Smolian, was often found laying down the low end from various parts of stage and sprinting around to make sure as many as possible got to feel that rhythmic rumble. Corey Coverstone did a great job behind the kit as his beats, along with Smolian’s groove, provided a great foundation for Notto and LaBelle to work with. This band has a groove, riffs reminiscent of mid-seventies Aerosmith, and the swagger and drive of a band ready to make the most of every opportunity.
Some highlights aside from the opener, were “The Wire,” “Gypsy,” “Another Last Time,” and a cover of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” which was preceded by a quick happy birthday shoutout on FaceTime to former NHL legend Henrik Lundqvist who was celebrating a birthday that night.
These two bands are a great pairing for this tour. They worked well together, but their music was different enough that the variety was welcomed and not redundant in any way. As the Young Guns tour moves across the U.S., be sure to check them out when they are in your city. It’s a can’t miss night of great bands playing great songs.
Dirty Honey
Mammoth WVH
