Interview: Marc Labelle of Dirty Honey

Posted on 03/30/2020 by Chris R. Smyth in Interview and tagged California, Dirty Honey, glam, hard rock, Interview, Los Angeles, Marc Labelle, MECU Pavilion.

Dirty Honey performs at MECU Pavilion on Sept. 22, 2019. (Photo by Chris Smyth)

Los Angeles-based rock and roll band Dirty Honey are beating the odds. As an unsigned band, Dirty Honey has overcome the obstacles that come with not having a major label in their corner, and the band saw their debut single, “When I’m Gone,” become a #1 US rock radio hit in late 2019.

Dirty Honey was supposed to be in Australia right now recording their new album, but the travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus have stuck the band in Los Angeles.

Lead singer Marc Labelle recently spoke with Parklife DC’s Chris Smyth about what it’s like to write and record in this time of coronavirus, the band’s relationship with Slash and Myles Kennedy, their upcoming European tour with Alter Bridge, and when we may see Dirty Honey make their first stop in Washington, DC.

Best of the Year: Top 10 Photos of 2019 by Chris

Posted on 12/11/2019 by Chris R. Smyth in Live Review and tagged 9:30 Club, Alter Bridge, Andy Grammar, Best of 2019, best of the year, blues, Gary Clark Jr., hard rock, heavy metal, In This Moment, Jiffy Lube Live, Judas Priest, Mark Tremonti, MECU Pavilion, Rams Head Live, Rival Sons, Sevendust, Skillet, Slipknot, The Anthem, The Fillmore Silver Spring.

Judas Priest made the list of Chris Smyth’s Top 10 photos of the Year (but not this particular one). (Photo by Chris Smyth)

Editor’s Note: This year, we asked our bloggers to name their Top 10 shows of 2019 or choose their Top 10 photos of the year. We will run them over the course of mid-December as our Best of the Year posts.

It is an odd feeling when you love and hate something simultaneously. The emotions don’t make sense, yet it’s fully real. That is how I feel each time I am tasked with creating this year-end list. I love looking through my old photographs and remembering each concert that I was fortunate enough to attend, and reliving each show through the images that I was able to capture along the way.

Live Review: Dirty Honey @ MECU Pavilion — 9/22/19

Posted on 09/25/2019 by Chris R. Smyth in Live Review and tagged California, Dirty Honey, glam, hard rock, Los Angeles, MECU Pavilion.

Dirty Honey performs at MECU Pavilion on Sept. 22, 2019. (Photo by Chris Smyth)

The amber sky from the evening’s sunset set a beautiful atmosphere as Dirty Honey took the stage to open the Victorious Sky tour with Alter Bridge and Skillet. While nature’s beauty was on exhibit high above, beneath the canopy at Baltimore’s MECU Pavilion recently, a night of music was commenced by one of rock and roll’s next big things.

Live Review: Skillet @ MECU Pavilion — 9/22/19

Posted on 09/25/2019 by Chris R. Smyth in Live Review and tagged Christian, hard rock, MECU Pavilion, Memphis, Skillet, Tennessee.

Skillet performs at MECU Pavilion on Sept. 22. 2019. (Photo by Chris Smyth)

If you think a Christian band can’t rock as hard as their contemporaries, then you’ve never been to a Skillet concert. The rock quartet put on a stage show as captivating as anything going today at MECU Pavilion recently.

Live Review and Interview: Alter Bridge @ MECU Pavilion — 9/22/19

Posted on 09/25/2019 by Chris R. Smyth in Interview, Live Review and tagged Alter Bridge, Florida, hard rock, heavy metal, Mark Tremonti, MECU Pavilion, Myles Kennedy, post-grunge.

Alter Bridge performs at MECU Pavilion on Sept. 22, 2019. (Photo by Chris Smyth)

On the final night of the summer, Alter Bridge kicked off the Victorious Sky co-headlining tour with Skillet at MECU Pavilion in Baltimore.

Preview: Alter Bridge @ MECU Pavilion, 9/22/19

Posted on 09/13/2019 by Parklifer in Preview and tagged Alter Bridge, Florida, hard rock, heavy metal, Mark Tremonti, MECU Pavilion, Myles Kennedy, post-grunge.

Alter Bridge (Photo by Dan Sturgess)

In October, Alter Bridge releases Walk the Sky, the band’s sixth studio album, via Napalm Records. In the lead up to that release, Alter Bridge are now on tour with Skillet, and the bands appear together at MECU Pavilion on Sunday, Sept. 22, for their Victorious Sky Tour.

Live Review: Beast Coast @ MECU Pavillion — 8/25/19

Posted on 09/02/2019 by AJ Waugh in Live Review and tagged beast coast, CJ Fly, Flatbush Zombies, hip hop, Joey Bada$$, Kirk Knight, MECU Pavilion, New York City, Nyck @ Knight, Nyck Caution, Powers Pleasant, Pro Era, The Underachievers.

Beast Coast performs at MECU Pavillion on Aug. 25, 2019. (Photo by @Waufflez – wauffleznotwaffles.com)

Beast Coasts’ Escape from New York Tour wrapped recently in Baltimore as tie-dye dipped fans plied into MECU Pavilion. The Beast Coast collective is a Voltron-style supergroup is made up by the members of three smaller groups all hailing from Flatbush Brooklyn: The Flatbush Zombies (Meechy Darko, Erick Arc Elliott & Jewice), The Underachievers (AK & Issa Gold), and Pro Era (Joey Bada$$, Nyck Caution, CJ Fly, Kirk Knight & Powers Pleasant). The 10-man army released their first project as a whole “Escape from New York” at the top of the summer and have been touring the country since.

Live Review: Rebelution @ MECU Pavilion — 8/8/19

Posted on 08/13/2019 by mdxpc in Live Review and tagged California, MECU Pavilion, Rebelution, reggae.

Rebelution performs at MECU Pavilion on Aug. 8, 2019. (Photo by Rashad Polk)

With a pristine sunset over the Inner Harbor as a backdrop, Rebelution brought their good vibes and good times to MECU Pavilion for their Baltimore stop on their headlining Good Vibes Summer 2019 Tour. The good vibes were apparent as they radiated throughout the lawn, the pavilion, the stage — basically the entire venue.

Live Review: Mastodon @ MECU Pavilion — 6/2/19

Posted on 06/07/2019 by Andy Jillson in Live Review and tagged Atlanta, Georgia, heavy metal, Mastodon, MECU Pavilion, progressive metal, psychedelic.

Mastodon performs at MECU Pavilion on June 2, 2019. (Photo by Andy Jillson)

Another of my rock n’ roll dreams became a reality yet again. I had the pleasure of finally photographing one of my personal favorite rock bands. The hard-hitting progressive metal machine known as Mastodon stopped at MECU Pavilion in Baltimore recently, and I was there taking photos.

Snapshots: Anderson Paak @ MECU Pavilion — 5/28/19

Posted on 06/04/2019 by chriscastilloweb in Live Review and tagged Anderson .Paak, California, hip hop, MECU Pavilion, R&B, rap.

Anderson .Paak performs at MECU Pavilion in Baltimore on May 28, 2019. (Photo by Chris Castillo)

Anderson .Paak released Ventura, his fourth studio album, in April via 12 Tone Music and Aftermath Entertainment. The upbeat R&B singer has been touring a lot, and he recently made a stop at MECU Pavilion in Baltimore. There, Chris Castillo caught him in action.