1,137 HONEYBLOOD, Feet, Southampton Joiner.s Arms, Saturday 11th May 2019

The last of 3 gigs in 3 different towns over 4 nights was a Saturday evening jaunt down the South Coast to likely my favourite venue, the splendidly scuzzy Joiner’s Arms, to catch up again with Scots indie combo Honeyblood. Just over 2 years since my only previous experience, and it had been an eventful time for them; the previous 2-piece had reduced to a 1-piece (!) consisting of just vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Stina Tweeddale, yet she’d soldiered on with her now-solo project, recording a new album “In Plain Sight” for 2019. A slight disappointment was that the scheduled release date was for the end of May, after most of the tour had concluded, but I was happy to trust in Stina’s effervescent song-writing talent and go for this gig anyway!

Fellow Honeyblood fan Rich Carter actually booked a ticket this time, but had to blow out as it was his wedding anniversary. T’uh, excuses, excuses…! Stuart was at a loose end (whilst waiting to pick his wife up from Heathrow in the small hours!) so happily took up the offer of a free ticket, and a sunny drive down the A34. We made such good time that we parked up almost directly outside the venue before the 8pm “free” parking started, so lurked by the motor until the legal hour before hitting the dark and dry ice-enveloped classic old “L”-shaped back room, already busy early doors with a high amount of female gig-goers. Good! Not so good, however, were support Feet, on at 8.30; a 5-piece sporting an entertaining selection of hats, but not so much in the way of memorable tuneage. Their opener sounded like 3 songs (a quietly pastoral start, a Spacehog-like mid-paced alt-rocker and a faster cinematic bit recalling My Life Story) clumsily gorilla-glued together, and subsequent numbers felt a bit Britpop-era Blur-like, quirkily English and 60’s referencing, but all in all a bit dull. Stuart was of a similar mind, so we repaired to the bar to chat, popping back into the venue after Feet finished to get a good spot, house left, for this sell-out gig, ironically behind the same chap who totally lost his shit (!) dancing sweatily next to me at the Martha gig here back in July 2017 (gig 1,045)!

Had a quick loo trip then spotted a familiar face behind the bar; none other than Sean McGowan, star of February’s Level 3 gig (no. 1,123)! Enjoyed a quick chat with this most affable of gents (Sean intoning in his Ian Dury cockernee, “awright mate, ‘ow are ya! Course I remember you, how could I forget that accent!” Look who’s talking mate!) before leaving him to his “day job” and wandering back in for Stina and her girls’ entrance onstage at 9.30. Stina, strikingly feline of features and sporting a flowing black/red patterned dress, kicked into the undulating bouncy pop of “Sea Hearts”, and our friend immediately demonstrated Martha aren’t the only band he loses his shit to, pogoing up and down like Zebedee on acid from note one. Clearly Southampton’s Jeff, albeit about 3 feet shorter, happily for the likes of us standing behind him! Clearly buoyed by the reaction, Stina announced, “Southampton! It’s been too long! How are you!”, deftly dealt with a couple of idiot remarks from some knuckleheads behind us, then kicked up a gear with newie “The Third Degree”, an impressive NYC New Wavey scuzz-rocker with an insistent, “drama drama baby” hook, boding well for the new album (which Stina plugged on numerous occasions tonight – and why not!).

Oldie “Walking At Midnight” was a creepy noir movie soundtrack and a mid-set highlight, as was the flippant “Super Rat” (for which Stina invited singalongs from the enthusiastic crowd) and newie “Gibberish”, a Veruca Salt-esque post-grunge glam stomp and possibly my favourite of the new numbers. However, following a surprisingly rocky yet lilting “Fall Forever”, things really kicked on with a roaring finish to the set; a big, bouncy “Babes Never Die”, a terrific, swaggering “Killer Bangs” featuring a lengthy, tongue-in-cheek pregnant pause, and a superb set closer, the soaring infectious hook of “Ready For The Magic”. By now, our bouncy friend had been sucked into a happy moshpit, and I was up against the stage, throwing a few hand-jive shapes and eliciting an approving nod from drummer Debbie! Fulsome praise to the crowd from an elated Stina at the end of this fine set, and I grabbed her set-list, having checked with the couple leaning on the stage next to me that their daughter didn’t want it! Hmmm, that’s not like me, must be going a bit soft in my old age…!

Great stuff, and a quick pic and signed list with the merch stand-bound and predictably besieged band preceded a swift drive home, dropping Stuart off for his drive to Heathrow. Home just after midnight after a splendid Honeyblood gig; in all honesty better than expected, particularly the last third. New album sounds tasty! A damn fine way to end a hectic 3-gig extended weekend – now hopefully I can get some sleep!

1,034 HONEYBLOOD, Doe, Tear, Reading Sub 89, Wednesday 26th April 2017

I finally get a chance to catch up with Honeyblood…! This lot, part of a whole slew of female-fronted, guitar-oriented and somewhat garage-rock/ CBGBs-tinged bands that I picked up on in 2014 (along with the likes of Ex Hex, September Girls and Alvvays), had impressed with their debut album that year, and more so with last year’s sparkling “Babes Never Die” follow-up. For some reason, however, their nearby gigs had always fallen on dates where I was otherwise occupied – normally on holiday! It felt as if this spunky and spiky Scottish duo were deliberately avoiding me or something… However, a few Easter dates included a Reading show, so that’s close enough. Off I go!

Flying solo as friend Rich Carter, who fancied a piece of this one, was on shift, so I dropped my daughter and her mate off at Brownies then hit the road! Found some street parking just around the corner, thereby avoiding paying the £14 that the nearest NCP was asking for (yipe!), and joined a small queue at 7.30 for doors shortly afterwards. Checked out the merch stand at this neat and compact upstairs room, and was therefore privy to a fellow punter, named Charlie Brown, bringing the girls a tray of freshly cooked and still-warm brownies. Charlie Brown brings the brownies – you couldn’t make that up! Found a comfy corner sofa to the right of the stage, and plonked myself there whilst enduring a couple of mediocre supports; Tear, first on, were a howly and growly 2-speed sub-grunge mess, immensely and intensely derivative of Hole or Babes In Toyland but nowhere near as good, and Doe were better if still overly riff-heavy, plodding and ham-fisted, recalling the chunky one-note guitar licks of early Weezer and the more angular, laconic style of “Last Splash”-era Breeders, but again, nowhere near that level. Whiled away the time playing the facebook “which band haven’t I seen” quiz with my brother instead!

A poor turnout for this one; barely 1/3 full, so I was easily able to find a good viewing spot down the front, stage left, for Honeyblood’s arrival at 9.30, to a “never die” backing track chant. I confess I was a little concerned that the guitar/drums only line-up might leave the sound a little thin “live”. No need, as they kicked up a full-sounding, strident and punky fuss straight from the off; opener “Justine, Misery Queen” was a groovy delight, featuring some fuzzy psych-pop guitar and nice doo-wop harmonies from the girls, followed up in short order by the more upbeat, NYC swagger of the ubiquitous and infectiously hooky “Ready For The Magic”. Off to a good start!

Unlike the more one-dimensional NYC proto-punk swagger of, say, the otherwise splendid Ex Hex, Honeyblood bring in different elements to their sound, overlaying their often bittersweet tales of lost love and lovers with occasionally shoegazey fuzz-pop and 90’s post-grunge US alt-indie, both right in my wheelhouse. And the tunes. Immensely catchy and hooky tunes. Never forget them! So “Love Is A Disease” had a more wry, mid-paced feel redolent of Throwing Muses or even Blake Babies, “Walking At Midnight” built lazily up to a haunting chorus via a shimmering shoegaze verse, and “Gangs” was as bleak and tough as the Glasgow streets it depicts, with an excellent crescendo outro. Additionally, vivacious, porcelain-perfect and feline featured vocalist/ guitarist Stina Tweeddale and her close-cropped, athletic drummer partner Cat Myers had undeniable in-band chemistry and an entertaining line in patter; Cat remarking that a whistling front-row punter sounded like, “a bird protecting his young!” which then led to a whole discussion as to what kind of bird he was (!), then referring to her singer as, “whisky chops”, and finally announcing that she’d burned, “2,206 calories!” drumming tonight!

Oldie “All Dragged Up” and “Sea Hearts” (“about tequila!”) were a racy, tub-thumping late-set double, then the girls refused to leave the stage before their encore, ploughing on with a slow-burn, hazily acerbic and dismissive “Super Rat”, with its’ great hook of “I will hate you forever!” and the excellent, breathless closer “Killer Bangs”, which featured a super mid-song pregnant pause so the girls could take a swig! A fun way to end a beguiling and charming 1 hour 10 minute set overall. A quickly signed poster from the predictably-besieged girls at the merch stand and a quicker than anticipated drive home too, to round off a fine evening. Glad I caught up with Honeyblood at last!