Another fantastic musical night at the State Room ended on a high note (pun intended) after The California Honeydrops came to the dance floor and dance and jammed with the audience. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The marquee at The State Room on Monday Night. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Lucio Huizar kindly opened the entry door to The State Room. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The hallway in The State Room that connects the bar to the stage area is lined with posters from past performers. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Early arrivals hang out in the church pews in the stage area, by the bar or outside on the patio. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Brittany and Annika, friendly bartenders at the State Room, were pouring it down. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
This crew is from all over. Spain, Minneapolis, the Caribbean and Chicago representing! Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The California Honeydrops merch table. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Austin Decker, a State Room employee, and Lucio Huizar hang out in front of the venue prior to the show. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The California Honeydrops began their performance with smiles and high energy. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The beginning of the jam sesh that lasted for two more awesome hours. The Honeydrops played two sets on Monday night. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Sax and clarinet player Johnny Bones slayed notes and melodies like a true pro. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Drummer, percussionist and vocalist Ben Malament crushed on the drums. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Lead singer Lech Wierzynski swapped from his guitar, to tambourine and trumpet, several times during the performance. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The Honeydrops photographed in action during the photographer’s mid-dance moves. Dance and shoot, dance and shoot. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Soulful and funky keys player Lorenzo Loera has musical skills, hair and style for days. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Happiness oozed from the musicians as they played their tunes and watched the audience soak it up. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
After the first set, The California Honeydrops took a break to cool off and attendees refreshed with beverages in the bar area or on the outside patio. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Brian Kelm gets photobombed by Sue Simpson. Good fun and good vibes were at The California Honeydrops’ show. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Janelle Miconi and Jill Yamashita spent some fun time together before the set began. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The California Honeydrops’ second set was just as amped, if not more, than the first. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Lead singer Lech took time to use his platform wisely and began discussing the Black Lives Matter movement, linking that to our still needing to make progress. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The CA Honeydrops followed Lech’s message with the related song “Long Way.” Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Everyone was dancing at the CA Honeydrops’ performance. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The band changed pace, as they do, and Ben busted out an impressive washboard solo. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Smiles, rhythms and energy continued to flow—with two sets and a double encore, the Honeydrops aimed to fulfill not only their souls, but also the souls of their beloved fans. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The Honeydrops are seen on the move to descend the stage and play on a dance floor party. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
And the crowd went wild! The Honeydrops played on the dance floor with the crowd dancing amongst them for 10 to 15 minutes of good music and fun! Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Lech vibing with the dance party. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
The Honeydrops getting low as the music played on. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
Another fantastic musical night at the State Room ended on a high note (pun intended) after The California Honeydrops came to the dance floor and dance and jammed with the audience. Photo: JoSavagePhotography.com
I was one sweaty photographer at The California Honeydrops’ Monday night show at The State Room. Not a well-known event occurring in Salt Lake, there was plenty of space on the dance floor, and the happy Honeydrops had everyone dancing.
The Honeydrops’ homebase is in Oakland, California, and Salt Lake was the last stop on their tour. I saw them this June in Santa Barbara, California, and for that reason, I knew this obscurely known event in Salt Lake, needed coverage.
The California Honeydrops describe themselves as “Bay Area R&B, funk, Southern soul, Delta blues and New Orleans second-line.” These guys ooze soul and funk. The combination of singer Lech Wierzynski’s voice that has a sweet honey sound, and his protruding happiness, positivity and desire to reach his audience is likened to the one and only Stevie Wonder—a likeness I would not draw lightly.
They played two sets at The State Room, and after the first, it was hard to believe that I, or anyone else, would possibly have anymore sweat to give the next round. But with music like that, the sweat just beads up. Wierzynski’s voice is so unbelievably silky it seems like all he must do is sip honey tea all day, every day. Their lyrics are relatable and humorous, and can carry a meaningful message with an optimistic delivery and, at times, incite crowd interaction.
Keys player Lorenzo Loera and saxophonist Johnny Bones had their soulful solos on the regular, and at times, it felt like an amazingly excellent living-room jam session between five guys who really enjoy jamming together—and just happen to be extremely talented. Beau Bradbury smiled and grooved while funkily slappin’ the bass.
After the audience and band returned from a break to the second set, a few songs later, Lech spoke to the audience. He used his platform to reach people, and his message began with the Black Lives Matter movement, followed by the Honeydrops’ song, “Long Way, which goes, “I know we’ve come a long way / Still got a long way to go / Walking in the shoes of another / Learning what we don’t want to know / I know we could do bette r/ But we sure won’t if we are too proud to try.”
Thank you, Honeydrops, for the amazing music and the meaning that moves my soul in euphonic ways that most music this day and age can’t attain. I want to thank any artist who uses their platform to send a message. If they reach one person or affirm another, that is a job well done.
Drummer and vocalist Ben Malament did an outstanding washboard solo while singing ““(I Need A) Big Fat Woman,” which had the crowd interacting, laughing, smiling and dancing in good humor.
The California Honeydrops then proceeded to descend the stage. The overjoyed audience danced with and around them in a celebratory fashion as they jammed their instruments. The sweat and soul poured out of everyone in the room.
If only the music could be heard while looking at the photos—actually, it can! The California Honeydrops have all their albums available for free listening on their website, cahoneydrops.com/music.
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