The California Honeydrops and Fruition Headline The Mission Ballroom This Friday
/The only modern thing about The California Honeydrops is the fact that they are of this era. Otherwise, these soulful men ooze soul, jazz, gospel, and R&B with a heavy horn section that harkens back to the original days of those genres. Just watch this video where the band members discuss the making of their two-volume album Call It Home and you will quickly realize their old-school soul vibe without even hearing their music.
This is a group that never wanted to be boxed into any one genre, and so to remedy the confining nature of a single album, they decided to release a two-volume set which includes a wide spectrum of tuneage. Though a complex task, the band did a great job bringing all the various sounds and vibes together into a beautifully gratifying scene. It’s no wonder that their steadfast purpose since the band’s inception ten years ago has been to make the audience dance and sing. Just listening to their stuff in my living room had me up, grooving, and excited for their show at Mission Ballroom this Friday.
A decade in to playing organic, street-level tunes, The California Honeydrops has managed to hold on to their roots while shooting upward toward the sky and expanding their branches. Their most recent tour with Bonnie Rait was only their latest run with some of the greats. They have also supported B.B. King, Allen Toussaint, Buddy Guy, and Dr. John in the past.
And soon, as I mentioned, they’re hitting the stage at Mission Ballroom in Denver to throw it down alongside Fruition, one of Colorado’s favorite bands by way of Portland, Oregon. In case you missed it, I also have a one-on-one interview with Mimi Naja (vocals/mando/guitar) from Fruition here. Fruition is dropping a brand new album on the night of their Mission show which will complete their A and B sides of a full length, two-part album release.
These co-headliners are a serious treat together, and if you know anything about either of them, you know it will be more of a dance party than a concert. So, if you’re going to go, put your boogie boots on. Tickets here.
All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artist featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.