This concert fell a little flat for me. Not the singing, which was pitch perfect and musically stunning all round, just the venue and the atmosphere were off. I am so happy for their achievement and popularity but their sound suits smaller spaces. Venues which allow for greater mutual intimacy allowing their personal lyrics to melt into an audience, for example the expression of deep love and caring in Woman. In the echo chamber that is the O2 Brixton Academy, the impact was lost, the energy dispersed.
Listening to their songs I picture a series of hyper-reality music videos, like The 1975’s Robbers. The emotional subject matter of HONNE’s songs were not drawn on for the stage design, which consisted of a disappointingly simple, static single image of their new album cover. Not that it’s bad of its self- it’s an interesting, dynamic image for an album cover but it just doesn’t translate as a backdrop for a concert. The lighting did offer some artistic relief, deep yellows, blues, pinks and purples adding dimension to the sound. A guitar solo paired with flashing, dramatic white lights will always be just a little bit exciting, especially when it makes the person performing break out of their stationary role into the limelight for their big moment.
Reflecting in a more positive manner and being a fan of HONNE for a few years now allowed me to be swallowed up by their lyrical and musical genius. The comfort offered by Warm On A Cold Night unmatched and the surprisingly relatable story line of Someone That Loves You have helped build playlists and word my ever-tangling thoughts.
Perhaps my negativity stemmed from the tall drunk couple in front of me tarnishing the lyrics with their boozy, lusty singing and the girl’s inability to hold herself up without draping herself all over her overly-aggressive boyfriend- an embarrassing reflection of who listens to peaceful, calm and loving HONNE. I feel, as a die-hard fan, I owed HONNE my unwavering attention. It was unfortunate that they didn’t always hold it.
