Honeyblood spooks First Avenue’s 7th Street Entry

Running between First Avenue’s Main Room and the Entry Sunday night had it’s own culture shock for me. On one hand a band that had a huge influence on my youth on the other 3 young acts making their way onto the scene. Scottish duo Honeyblood was in town promoting their new album “Babes Never Die” that will be release shortly.

Opening was Minneapolis’ Monica LaPlante who just released her album “Noir”. I was a bit puzzled by Robert Palmer as the choice of opening music. When they took to the stage in what can only be described as a “reverse Robert Palmer video”. The band in short dresses, eye liner and liberally applied lipstick were outrageous. I like LaPlante’s set quite a bit, the lyrics were dark, music lively and fun.

Set List: Fragile / Can’t Stop / Tinted Light / From Your Shadow / Opposite Sides / Hope You’re Alone / Do That 2 Me / Try To Be Nice / Tell Yourself

When we last saw Jay Som a couple of months ago, Melina Duterte was a solo “girl and her guitar” act. This time around, she brought the full band and it worked quite well. This was their last night on tour with Honeyblood. Duterte joked about playing some New Order covers at the sound that sometimes bled over from the main room.

Honeyblood started with “Ready for the Magic”. The duo of  Claire Tweeddale and Cat Myers just release a video that shows them tied to a stake, burned alive, and eaten by savage girls. None of the that happened on stage, though there was a classic ghost in a bed sheet (with a “Bro” backwards baseball cap)  on drums. Myers drummed the first song “under cover” before asking for a volunteer to take over for her in the costume. After a couple of seconds a “Fuck it, I’ll do it” came from the audience.

The duo was – self-confessed – a bit tipsy (well, what good Scot would play a show sober) and delivered a very good set with driving drums, distorted guitar and cool vocals.

Set List: Ready For The Magic / Choker / Love Is A Disease / Justine M Queen / Walk @ Midnight / Hey Stellar / Cruel / Sister Wolf / Gangs / C Hearts / All Dragged Up / Babes Never /Die / Super Rat / Killer Bangs