Gig Review: Honeyblood at The Bodega

“I really didn’t think we’d be here 10 years later playing these songs,” says Christina (Stina) as her band, Honeyblood make their return to Nottingham, and the stage at The Bodega.

Promoting a reissue of their debut, they open with Choker and play the full album plus a couple of B-sides that they really thought should have been on the album as well. Back up to a trio, Honeyblood really storm it. 

“Helloooo Nottingham!” Stina says with a giggle. “Where have you been for the last ten years? This is a rock show,” she drools, before slipping into (I’d rather be) Anywhere but here.

Playing the full set of the album with a few other songs thrown in, confusion reigns at one point as there was a last minute alteration to the order, but only one set list has been amended. “I’d like to point out we are very professional women, in music,” Stina reminds us during Killer Bangs.

“Do not come for me just because we are not playing the songs in the correct order. Oh no! I don’t care what you think, you can go home and listen to it, but tonight we are playing it in this order and there are many reasons for that, one of which we are playing a couple of B sides, little treasures.”

Dancing – well, pogoing – is actively encouraged  for All dragged up and the crowd respond positively, though those with bad knees were advised to sit it out. In complete contrast to the dancing, I spy a posh champagne flute on stage, something I’d not seen before. Honeyblood are nothing but classy…

Honeyblood’s album displays so many different moods, but all glued together by their distinctive vocals. The album has beautiful soft songs and frantic passionate anger. One of these gems Stina mentions is Kissing on you; a song she thinks should have been on the album. I completely agree as I still have it in my head all the way home. Then the band slow it down with No Big Deal, another tender song of regret.

There's genuine joy from the band tonight bursting out from these humble figures who, through their music shine bright and loud.

Honeyblood have another new album coming out soon, so watch out for details online. The last song, Super Rat, was apparently written as a joke and Stina says she didn’t think she’d still be singing it, admitting the joke was on her.

And all of a sudden, they are off stage and gone, though not before a chat about their appearance at the legendary Indietracks festival where they remembered they were headliners, or “maybe almost headliners”.