The Young Guns tour received a warm welcome at Chicago’s House of Blues as co-headliners Dirty Honey and Mammoth WVH came to town.
Originally this tour was scheduled to make a stop in Chicago in January, but out of an abundance of caution, the beginning of the tour was pushed back. Luckily the Chicago fans didn’t have to wait too long for the rescheduled dates. All of that felt like a distant memory as the fans piled into the House of Blues after queuing around the block to get in.
If you are heading to this show, make sure you get there early as there is no opener on this tour. Instead, both bands do a full hour set each. Without any messing around, the bands got straight down to business with Dirty Honey being the first to take to the stage.
Dirty Honey have been making a name for themselves over the last few years. In just a short space of time, they have earned opening spots on some of the biggest tours, including Guns N Roses, The Who, and Slash ft. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. Just last year, they opened for The Black Crowes which was one of the most highly-anticipated shows of the year. It’s not a simple task getting to open for some of the biggest names in rock, but Dirty Honey have risen to the challenge, building their own reputation and fanbase from the stellar performances they put on during these tours. If you haven’t heard their name by now, where have you been?
As they took to the House of Blues stage, they hit the ground running as charismatic frontman Marc LaBelle enthralled the audience from the very first note. At one point during their set, the crowd’s attention was fixed on John Notto (guitar) and Justin Smolian (bass) as they took center stage when out of the corner of your eye, LaBelle could be seen climbing on the pile of speakers to the side of the stage, reaching his microphone stand out across the excited fans. If there’s one thing these guys know how to do, it’s entertain. And entertain they most certainly did. But they are far from being all style and no substance (although they do have an abundance of style, too!). The fact that their 2019 single “When I’m Gone” went to #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream and Hard Rock Charts when they were unsigned gives you an idea of the caliber of musicianship we’re talking about here. Keep an eye out for Dirty Honey – they are certainly going places.
Second on the agenda for the evening was Mammoth WVH. Mammoth was the name of Van Halen before they became Van Halen. From a very young age, Wolf Van Halen knew he wanted to use that same name for a band when he grew up, and that’s exactly what he did. Rather than trading on the famous Van Halen name, he is stepping out in his own right, while continuing the musical legacy.After having previously performed with Van Halen, Tremonti, and Clint Lowery, Wolf has created his own solo band, releasing his first album last year. The album featured Wolf playing all of the instruments and singing every note. Just last year, Mammoth WVH received large-scale praise as they opened for Guns N Roses. Not a bad start for your debut tour! Since people caught them during this tour, they have been waiting to see Mammoth perform in their own right, and luckily that wait is now over. Judging by the reaction of the Chicago crowd, they did not disappoint.
From the moment the band stepped out onto the stage, fans were trying to cram themselves into the floor area in front of the stage, eager to get as close as they possibly could. The volume of the crowd also kicked up a notch as they sang every word along with the band.
It was a special night for Mammoth, as it was Wolf’s 31st birthday, and his first birthday on stage. The Chicago crowd certainly joined in the celebrations and helped make it a night to remember for Wolf, whose smile was evident throughout the set.
It must be difficult coming from such a musically-renowned family, but Wolf is proving he more than has the chops. Keeping the performance 100% live without the use of backing tracks, at times he would sing, while alternating between playing guitar and keyboard during the same song. It restores your faith in live music when you see performances like this.
The co-headlining Young Guns Tour has dates scheduled through until mid-April. This is one you do not want to miss, so if you’ve been sitting on the fence about purchasing those tickets, go buy them now! You can thank us later.
