There’s something naturally exciting about being amid die-hard fans who have got down to a gig early doors. The hype and anticipation at Stylus on Friday was testament to that. The largely leather-clad crowd was ready and raring for not just Dirty Honey, the romping headliner from Los Angeles, but Leeds’ very own Wolforna, who were all too perfect a support choice. 

No other band from the city would’ve been such a good fit or received as well as they were. Belting out ultra-tight performances of BBC Radio 1 Rock Show favourite, ‘22 Degrees & Sunny’, plus the newer ‘Something Missing’, the heavy-rock four-piece had head-bobbing onlookers in the palm of their hand. And to nicely align with Dirty Honey’s own style of rock music, Wolforna also brought ‘Broken Bones and Gritty Fights’ back to their setlist — which went down a storm. And the whooping and cheering felt at full pelt during unreleased ‘Bucket’. 

I’d immersed myself in the middle of the swelling crowd during Wolforna’s 30-minute masterclass. The time passed fast and people who hadn’t had the pleasure of watching them before had certainly enjoyed themselves — to the point of them wanting more. But Dirty Honey were primed to wheel out their showmanship…

Having supported icons such as Guns ‘N Roses and The Who, you just knew that Dirty Honey were going to set Stylus ablaze. There was a wild, rapturous reception for them. 

With big hair, boots and velvet, they not only sounded like the ‘70s/‘80s rock band everyone deserves in 2024, but they looked it, too. And they were inextricably on-point with their transitions, engaging movement across the stage, and face-melting solos. My favourite part? The raspy vocals akin to Axl Rose or Steven Tyler, with that smooth-as-honey veneer. 

We received a mix of tracks from over the years; ‘Dirty Mind’ and ‘Don’t Put Out The Fire’ were total belters from the new record, while the slower yet uber-popular ‘Coming Home (Ballad of the Shire)’ had all lungs in the venue contributing. One of the best for me was the fierce ‘When I’m Gone’, which they played pre-encore, and they returned with the bombastic ‘You Won’t Take Me Alive’. It was so, so well-curated. And then the encore had individual solos from each band member, to adequately spotlight them all. Fantastic. 

Throughout, there were moments of electro-acoustic for the pure country-rock vibes, too, alongside their naturally higher-octane stuff. And let’s not forget the funky ‘Honky Tonk Women’ cover that got everyone grooving. 

If you turned up as a Dirty Honey fan, you’ll have been totally satisfied. But I have a feeling you’ll have left humming Wolforna tunes as well.

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With thanks to Live Nation for the press access