The Young Guns take over HOB – Chicago !!

Another night of authentic rock ‘n’ roll at the House of Blues Chicago Illinois. Dirty Honey is starting the night off, one of the most Rock n Roll Bands out today. These cats started and formed in California in 2017. The first time I saw them live was last summer when they opened for the Black Crowes, and they destroyed it; they absolutely killed it.

So I’m stoked for tonight’s show in a smaller venue. I find it way more personal, and the energy and vibe are more in your face.  Mark LaBelle comes out on the stage with force, energy, and control. His vocals are like no others of today—”California Dreaming” blues rock at its finest.  Hearing “Gypsy” tonight reinforced the groove that sounds 70 fusion that the song projects

Dirty Honey finished the night off strong with their two most famous hits, “When I’m Gone” and Rolling 7s. Dirty Honey’s overall performance was outstanding. They’re so tight; they’re so good they just feel it. When you can feel the music and play it, the vibe is just outstanding.

Dirty Honey does not phone it in as Mark Labelle vocals, John Notto guitar, Cory Coverstone drums, and Justin Smolian bass jam so well together. They are so tight and spot-on, so if you love natural feel Blues Rock, dirty Rock n Roll, you must see Dirty Honey because tonight just was magic as the fans loved Dirty Honey. Well-rounded musicians with such excellent delivery and the know-how to their craft.

So tonight, marks the first Mammoth birthday bash show at HOB Chicago as Wolfgang Van Halen celebrates his 31st birthday.  The crowd is energized and excited to see Wolfgang Van Halen perform tonight.

Mammoth overall is a tight band and sounded great, but stage presence needs to be better. Also, after seeing Dirty Honey’s performance next to Mammoth, there’s no comparison as Dirty Homey is more comfortable on stage, more seasoned, and just a better rock show overall compared to Mammoth. Now don’t get me wrong, I like the songwriting and material that Wolfgang made for the Mammoth album but live; it just doesn’t work for me. After talking to some of the fans, I realized it was a mixed bag. Some felt bored and felt zero energy, while others had the time of their lives. I like what Wolfgang is doing, except for his live performance, which Wolfgang needs more touring under his belt as a frontman. I’m rooting for Wolfgang and hope everything continues positively for him.

It was nice to see they celebrated Wolfgang’s Birthday as they brought out balloons and hugs from the crew. Wolfgang seemed happy and enjoyed himself, which is the most important thing as long as he was pleased with his show; that’s all that matters.