Black Honey put on a show to remember for the crowd at Bedford Esquires
Frontwoman Izzy Phillips proudly confesses the last time they were booked to play Esquires they only sold three tickets so had to cancel, yet this time the room is packed and everyone is here to see them — and rightfully so.
Photo: Press
Once the chance to see such a promising upcoming band in an intimate venue arose, it would’ve been criminal to miss out. With FREAK also performing, it was almost like seeing two headliners for the price of one. However, we hadn’t heard of openers Superego before, but they did not disappoint in proving they had the capability of headlining their own gig soon. This was definitely a night to remember and all great bands to get into, whether you already like Black Honey or not.
Superego got the night underway, showcasing their supreme songs during their 30-minute support slot. They have unique, dynamic sounds that got everyone dancing, up until the moment when the amp blew and the set had to be stopped temporarily. However, not to put a damper on the situation, they recovered from the interruption quickly and continued to deliver a powerful set, which left the crowd wanting more. Without a doubt, they are a band to look out for in the months to come, as are FREAK and Black Honey.
FREAK then took to the stage and got the crowd going from the start. Highlights included raucous renditions of I Like To Smile When I’m Sad, Cake, and a cover of Britney Spears’ Toxic, which they put their own energetic spin on. They increased the tempo set by Superego and encouraged everyone to dance along to their rambunctious tracks. FREAK, also known as Connar Ridd, showed off his high energy as he shredded his way through a number of their most blood-pumping tunes. The crowd responded to FREAK’s charisma — reminiscent of Rat Boy’s equally charismatic stage presence — by wildly jumping and singing along to every line.
Finally, Black Honey arrived along with their familiar style, clearly influenced by Quentin Tarantino’s plethora of movies. Izzy Phillips, the lead singer, delivered the heartfelt lyrics with confidence, with Tommy Taylor (bass), Chris Ostler (guitar) and Tom Dewhurst (drums), creating a unique sound together.
After performing some of their best tracks, the lights dimmed and the crowd was drawn to silence as everyone wondered what was happening. Only Chris and Izzy stayed on stage, as they drifted into a soulful acoustic version of Cadillac, a B-side to their newest single Somebody Better. This was a first for them, as Bedford was the beginning of their ten-show tour, and quite an equally magical moment for the crowd and band, who interacted with the eager crowd and made us fully engage with the song.
After playing a plethora from their small but mighty discography, they departed the stage once again only to re-emerge to play one of their most loved singles — Corinne — which was warmly received by the crowd.
After the show had finished, we approached the merch stand and were warmly greeted by the lovely and delightful Izzy, who kindly went out of her way to find us some temporary tattoos of the Black Honey logo. She signed our posters and spoke to us — two seventeen and eighteen-year-old music fanatics — as if we were her mates she’d just bumped into down the pub. Before we left, she told us to stay in touch — hopefully one day we’ll speak again.
Check out Black Honey’s newest single, Somebody Better, and the accompanying B-side, Cadillac.
