Los Angeles pop-rock band Honey Revenge brought glittering neon energy last week at Le Poisson Rouge, the Village’s gem of an independent venue. The duo, made up of singer Devin Papadol and guitarist Donny Lloyd, are some of the most infectious voices in the scene right now, their debut album Retrovision reminiscent of early Paramore and the 2000s pop-punk that got many of us hooked on music.
The four-band lineup of the night brought about as much musical range as an entire rock festival. The full yet intimate venue was filled with fervent fans of every band, not just the main act— as I got to know to the people around me, I discovered that everyone had a different favorite, and it wasn’t hard to see why. Nightlife‘s funky, soul-infused twist on punk rock was addictively danceable; post-hardcore-esque breakdowns with saxophone solos are something the music industry didn’t know it needed. Vana‘s dominating, synth-laced metal had the crowd quite literally barking for her. The simultaneously bold and bubbly alt-pop of Daisy Grenade, complete with a cover of Pierce the Veil’s “King for a Day” that drove the crowd wild, was a beautifully smooth transition into Honey Revenge’s set.
Even after three acts, the crowd was not lacking any energy for the headliners. Honey Revenge burst onto the stage with their new, impossibly catchy single “Risk.” Countless crowdsurfers floated overhead, landing right on the stage in the barricade-less venue, and mosh pits took up the center of the room. The band treated fans to several unreleased songs: “Jealousy Monster,” “Concentrate,” and the quieter, pensive “Loving and Losing,” as the band reflected on their struggles in the early stages of their career. They rounded out the set with fan-favorite bangers “Are You Impressed?” and “Airhead,” and in an unexpectedly heavy turn, covered “Counting Worms” by Knocked Loose. I’m hoping that this signals more hardcore heaviness in Honey Revenge’s future— but for now, the honey-sweet sound that Devin and Donny are quickly perfecting is incredibly fun.
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