Dirty Honey are on their US California Dreamin’ tour and were joined by Dorothy, who brought their dirty and dangerous rock and roll to thrill Harrisburg along with Detroit Michigan ensemble Mac Saturn.
The Capital Room, Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center. 21 September 2022
Words and Photography: Mick Sprouse
Dorothy
It’s been said elsewhere that “it feels good to know raw power, sex, and whiskey is back en vogue.” That perfectly describes the sound of the Los Angeles band Dorothy, a five-piece group consisting of frontwoman Dorothy Martin, guitarists Devon Pangle and Eli Wulfmeier, drummer Jason Ganberg and bassist Eliot Lorango.
The band is touring with Dirty Honey on their California Dreamin’ tour in support of their 2022 LP, Gifts From The Holy Ghost, released back in April.
In front of an angel and lightning backdrop, the band launched into Down To The Bottom, a non-album single released in 2017. This was followed by Hurricane, from their new album, then another non-album single, What’s Coming To Me.
A cover of the Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) was a dreamy, eerie affair with rocking guitar used to good effect. Raise Hell, a cut from their debut disc Rockisdead, encouraged the crowd to cut loose way before the weekend arrived.
The lead track from 2018s 28 Days In The Valley, Flawless, followed with a snippet of Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd as the outro and received a great response from the crowd.
Rest In Peace, another slice from the band’s new album, was a final, unmistakable kiss off to a bad lover. The final song of their superb eight-song set was the Lament Of Dark Nights, from their Rockisdead album.
We live in a time of great rock bands fronted by ladies, like Dorothy, Halestorm, and The Warning, and rock is all the better for it. Be sure not to miss Dorothy when they come anywhere near your town.
Mac Saturn
Touring until the money runs out, which coincidentally is the name of their new EP, Detroit Michigan ensemble Mac Saturn delivered electrifying funk and dynamic pop rock on the way to the top.
Having heard of, but not heard Mac Saturn, I was curious as to what I was in for. Being a fan of Motown R&B and ’70s glam, I was pleasantly surprised by what I heard when singer Carson Macc (sporting a Brian Connolly shag), bassist Jive Moses (a great Delta bluesman’s name if there ever was one), guitarists Mike Moody and Nick Barrone along with drummer Angelo Coppola hit the stage.
The funky 70s guitar strut of Diamonds opened. It was the disco and glam era revisited and updated for those too young to have lived through it the first time.
Following up with the propulsive Persian Rugs and the strutting cool of Ain’t Like You, the guys had the ladies’ full attention. The bluesy funk of Law Machine led into their superfly cool track Mr Cadillac, a crowd favourite.
Carson and the guys closed their six-song opener set with a track called Plain Clothes Gentleman.
Mac Saturn is a funky cool breeze of fresh yet retro sounds, and if you dig something a little different, then catch them on the road, ideally in a juke joint or sleazy pool hall near you.
For the Dirty Honey show, see https://www.metaltalk.net/dirty-honey-bring-their-rock-n-roll-festivities-to-harrisburg.php
