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It’s been more than three years since I last saw Doylestown, PA’s Honeychurch play a show in the NYC area, opening for Slowdive/Mojave 3 singer Neil Halstead at Maxwell’s in November 2008. Shortly thereafter, the band’s husband and wife singing team, Shilough and Larissa Hopwood, welcomed a new daughter, Rowan, and took a few years off from gigging. So it was a pleasure to finally see them on stage again, in support of their beautiful new third LP, Will You Be There With Me (their first since 2004’s Makes Me Feel Better; they also released a best-of compilation, Early Times 2001-2004, in 2008). And unlike that ‘08 unplugged set, they were backed at these shows by a full band, consisting of Alex Yaker on keyboards, Ivan Funk on pedal steel, and Greg Millward on drums.
Shilough Hopwood at Maxwell’s
A small but appreciative crowd of 25 or so came to the Monday night set at Maxwell’s. But because they mostly stood along the walls or in the back, the room felt empty. Undeterred, the band dove into the new LP’s “Before You Leave” and played a lovely set, setting the stage for the even better Rockwood Music Hall show two days later. At Rockwood, the attendance more than doubled that of Maxwell’s, and the tiny, intimate room made the show feel more up-close and personal. Coupled with its warm and clear sound, the venue proved perfect for Honeychurch’s style of soft and pretty, country-tinged, Mojave 3-influenced music, especially on the exquisite harmonies between Shilough and Larissa. It’s easy to see why Larissa was chosen to fill in for the absent Rachel Goswell at Mojave 3’s last NYC show in 2006.
Larissa Hopwood and Greg Millward at Maxwell’s
The setlist was similar for both nights, focusing on songs from the new album, with a few older numbers thrown in. Typical of their albums, Honeychurch peppered each set with obscure covers reworked in their own style. Each blended in so seamlessly with their original songs, you almost think they wrote them. (In addition to their older versions of Magnetic Fields’ “I Have the Moon” and Dolly Parton’s “Lonely Coming Down”, the set included brand new covers of Holy Moses’ 1971 “Roll River Roll”, The Softies’ 1997 “Winter Pageant”, and Circa Survive’s 2010 “Frozen Creek”.) Along with Will You Be There originals “Never”, “A Work Suspended”, and the gorgeous “Miko II” (one of two new LP songs on which Larissa sings lead), both shows were alluring from start to finish. In fact, the Rockwood set was about as calming as one could hope for, smack dab in the middle of the hectic and traffic-clogged East Village!
Honeychurch’s high-tech mailing list
I was previously unfamiliar with the other two bands on the bill, The Explorers Club and The Color Bars, but nevertheless enjoyed both of their sets. The Explorers Club (who headlined both nights) are a six-piece combo from Charleston, SC whose rollicking music has a heavy 1970s AM radio influence, complete with Beach Boys-inspired harmonies. As if to emphasize their nostalgic bent, they were even selling copies of their new album Grand Hotel in 8-track tape format!
The Color Bars, who played the Maxwell’s show only, are a bass-synth-drums trio who hail from Brooklyn. Their catchy indie pop is mixed with some falsetto-laden ‘70s soul and psych-rock, and features appealing boy/girl vocals courtesy Gerald Slevin and Caitlin Gray. Check out the video for set standout “The Gedanken Train” and chances are you’ll get hooked, too.
