Dirty Honey + Mac Saturn @ Club Soda

I had been looking forward to seeing Dirty Honey ever since I first heard “When I’m Gone” in 2019, but their April 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic. As I got to The Club Soda and saw the long line of fans waiting outside in the rain, I realized that I was not the only one. The doors opened at 7:00 and by 7:30 the entire place was completely packed. I was expecting the venue to change and even asked Mark Labelle about it during our interview, but it didn’t.

So around 8 o’clock, a band that I’d never heard of before scrambled onto the scene in some super groovy thrift wear and some crazy ass rock n roll energy.

I don’t know what the heck is happening in Detroit lately, but I do know that I like it. The birthplace of Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Bob Seger, Jack White, Eminem, Greta Van Fleet and now Mac Saturn.

At first, I thought frontman Carson Macc was trying to emulate Mick Jagger circa 1975, however, upon closer inspection, I realized that there was a lot more going on. Channelling all of my favourite music styles ranging from The J Geils Band to The Black Crowes, Mac Saturn has a truly original sound that is highly addictive.

Carson’s stage presence was on point with his funky moves and warm banter and it didn’t take long before we were all sold. When he asked, “Mon-tree-all are you ready to rock?” we all hollered back because we damn well were.

They played five tracks from their new EP “Until the Money Runs Out” plus a few new ones. (“Get On the Phone” and Ain’t Like You”) I wanted to hear more and judging by the crowd’s reaction, I was not alone.

The band hung out at the merch table after the show, basking in the praise and affection from their new fans. I would definitely see them again if they came back to Montreal.

Diamonds
Persian Rugs
Junkie
Waiting On the Line
Ain’t Like You
Get On the Phone
Mr. Cadillac
That’s Business
Plain Clothes Gentleman

Speaking of praise and affection, it is no secret that Montreal absolutely adores Dirty Honey. The crowd began cheering from the moment they stepped onto the stage and continued throughout the entire show. (Breaking out into the “Olé, Olé, Olé” sports chant more than once) I know for sure the band felt every ounce of love because in almost every single photo I took, you can see them grinning from ear to ear.

At one point, frontman Mark Labelle stopped the set to address the audience, asking, “So, this is Monday night in Montreal?” To which we all responded with even louder cheering as the love fest progressed all night.

I think all the heat emanating from the impassioned crowd enhanced the performance because Mark’s vocals sounded even better than the record. His sultry rasp and powerful range were perfect on every single song. My favourite was “Scars” which featured some tasty bass work by Justin Smolian and some brilliant guitar work from the ridiculously talented John Notto.

I honestly lost count of how many times John brought it to the next level with his hard-rocking solos. One lucky fan won a very cool Dirty Honey custom guitar in a raffle. How cool is that?

Did I mention how hot it got? Mark started out in a bandito-style poncho and hat and removed layers throughout the night. When he returned for the encore, he was wearing a Black Crowes T-shirt and by the end of the night, was shirtless.

They ended their set with an intense solo by powerhouse drummer Corey Coverstone, followed by another solid guitar solo by John. And then pumped out their slow and bluesy cover of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy”.

We got a bonus track for the encore; AC/DC’s “Shoot to Thrill,” which made everyone happy and showed their appreciation for true classic rock. The show ended with another one of my favourites, “Rolling 7’s. As we all exited the club onto the dark rainy street, there was a genuine feeling of joy in the air. Everyone was buzzing with excitement. Dirty Honey brought it all and gave it good. And it was worth the wait.