The Young Guns Tour Featuring Dirty Honey & Mammoth WVH Goes Down In A Blaze Of Glory In Chicago As A First Happens On The Tour

Mar 17, 2022 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

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By James Currie

Last night Chicago witnessed one of the greatest Rock n’ Roll shows taking place this year as a legendary guitarist son leads his way through his own greatness and an up and comer band proves they are more than just a flash in the pan.

The “Young Guns” tour finally made its way through Chicago last night at the House of Blues. Relatively new comers to the music scene, Dirty Honey, have been blasting their way through the circuit for the last few years and opened the show to great fanfare as the crowd went wild for the Los Angeles rock band.

Formed in 2017 by guitarist John Notto and singer Marc LaBelle, the band originally set out to be the next Gun’s n Roses. After recruiting Justin Smolian on bass, they soon picked up drummer Corey Coverstone and the line up was complete. Together, they soon released a self produced and released EP, Dirty Honey (2019). This garnered the attention of a lot of people. Sadly, just a year after that release, COVID-19 changed all plans for a massive tour and promotion. During the stay home orders, the band worked out a full length album. It was released in April 2021. Here we are less than a year later after that release and the band is back out on the road and touring with another new comer to the music world, Wolf Van Halen and his solo work with Mammoth WVH.

For those who think rock is dead… you need to check out one of these show on the Young Guns tour. The line around the block (on a Wednesday night) is a good indication as well. There is more energy than a power bar on that stage at any one time. That, combined with the audience feedback, help prove the long standing farce of the classic genre. The fans were wild with anticipation before the curtains even opened. When the show kicked off and Dirty Honey came out, the house went nuts. For a band that wasn’t signed to a label and only had one full length record out, you wouldn’t have know it as they sang along to most of the songs and joined in the chants rebel rousing the entire hood. These guys already have what it takes to be a legendary rock n roll band, just give them a little time to build up steam.

When it was time for Mammoth WVH to come out, the audience was well primed. Cheering even louder than before, they gave Wolf Van Halen a proper Chicago welcome. So much so that the young musician actually winced and took pause to take it all in. Truly humbled by the experience, Wolf thank the audience for the love and let everyone know it was a first for him this night as it was his 31st birthday. Wolf said, “This is a first for me Chicago. I’ve never had a birthday on the road before. You are my first.” Then kicked into his band’s namesake and album title track, “Mammoth”. Which when you think about it a fitting title as you can imagine the mammoth task it must be to break out from under your parents legacy to prove your own worth. Something he is clearly doing as the songs are modern rock classics in the making.

Wolf is Mammoth WVH. This is his solo work he played nearly every instrument on, wrote the songs and created the live arrangements. During one part of the set, he stopped and made comment about this. “I have this little keyboard up here. I don’t have a lot of keyboards in my songs, but I still wanted to play this live for you. I just can play backing tracks to these songs. You deserve more than that.” Wolf continued, “That’s what you’re going to get here tonight. A real, live rock n roll show. Do you know what that means? The same with Dirty Honey. We’re giving you a real rock experience. Nothing fake about it.”

Wolf Van Halen’s band Mammoth WVH headlined to what had to have been a sold out show proving he’s more than just the son of an icon. His legendary father’s name may have been an initial influence, but Wolf’s song writing ability, instrument playing ability and front man status have clearly proven he’s the real deal. After all, he learned from one of the best. Yes, this is his first venture out solo, but he’s been a touring musician for year and clearly writing his own material for the same. Eddie Van Halen would be proud as his son is truly becoming his own. The night ended with balloons on stage and Wolf taking off his EVH guitar and kissing it before gently placing it on the floor and bowing out.

Fore more on Mammoth WVH, including the current tour, record and more, click here

For more on Dirty Honey, click here

For photos of Mammoth WVH, click here

For photos of Dirty Honey, click here

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Dirty Honey live in Chicago at the House of Blues, March 16th, 2022

1. California Dreamin’
2. Break You
3. Heartbreaker
4. The Wire
5. Fire Away
6. Tied Up
7. Down The Road
8. Gypsy
9. Let’s Go Crazy (Prince cover)
10. Another Last Time
11. Bass Solo
12. Drum Solo
13. Guitar Solo
14. When I’m Gone
15. Rolling 7’s

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Mammoth WVH live in Chicago at the House of Blues, March 16th, 2022

1. Mammoth
2. Mr. Ed
3. Epiphany
4. Horribly Right
5. You’ll Be The One
6. Stone
7. I Don’t Know At All
8. Think It Over
9. You’re To Blame
10. Distance
11. Them Bones (Alice in Chains cover)
12. Don’t Back Down

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