21.05.2025 Dirty Honey

Graspop Metal Meeting

Dessel (Belgium)

From the pop‑infused sounds of Self Deception, it was time to head back out to the Jupiler Stage, where some good old classic hard rock awaited. Dirty Honey from the USA were on the bill, kicking off an entertaining journey through the ’70s and ’80s that brought to mind bands like AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, or Aerosmith.
It’s remarkable that the band only formed in 2017. Even so, they already have an impressive repertoire of no fewer than three albums, and we got a great cross‑section of them. I was genuinely surprised when singer Marc LaBelle stormed onto the stage wearing a thick leather jacket, leather pants, and a hat. In this heat, no less. Well, the jacket didn’t stay on for long, and underneath he was dressed much more lightly. Guitarist John Notto and bassist Justin Smolian matched LaBelle’s laid‑back energy perfectly. Drummer Jaydon Bean was a bit less in the spotlight, but the groove was unmistakable. Whether it was the opener “Gypsy” from their 2021 debut "Dirty Honey", “Heartbreaker” from their current release "Mayhem And Revelry Live", or “Won’t Take Me Alive” from their middle album "Can’t Find The Brakes", everything had an effortless coolness that was instantly infectious. The atmosphere in front of the stage was wonderfully relaxed. From time to time, LaBelle supported his drummer with the classic tambourine and shakers. He also didn’t miss the chance to take a quick dive into the crowd. Again and again, he encouraged the audience to join in, and they responded by singing loudly along. The band was clearly having a great time and left the stage only reluctantly after their final number, “Rolling 7s.”
I enjoyed it immensely. Forty minutes of feel‑good rock music from a band that not only captured the spirit of the era their songs draw from, but also conveyed that vibe perfectly to the audience. An ideal afternoon gig, one I would have happily enjoyed for a bit longer.