The Struts and Dirty Honey Rock Philly 8/23/2025
by Julia Hill
Last night in Philly at The Fillmore, the venue was jam-packed and buzzing with anticipation for the glam rock band The Struts—currently on tour to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of their debut album, Everybody Wants. Over the years, The Struts, consisting of frontman Luke Spiller, Adam Slack on guitar, Jed Elliott (bassist), and Gethin Davies (drums), have garnered a loyal Philadelphia fanbase ever since they came to the city in 2015, and last night was no exception. The crowd crossed generations, a diverse breadth of people coming together in support and love for the band that has stolen the hearts of so many Philadelphians.
The Los Angeles-based rock band Dirty Honey opened the evening with a ripping set of gritty rock and roll. Every song was an adrenaline shot to the brain with driving guitar solos from John Notto and Marc Labelle’s whipping vocals. Justin Smolian’s stellar bass grooves and stage presence rallied the audience, and drummer Jaydon Bean laid down a thunderous pulse with each swing to his kit. Dirty Honey proved they are one of the finest bands playing rock music today, and without a doubt, earned themselves a few new fans.
About ten minutes after nine, The Struts took the stage to a roaring crowd, and you could tell by their faces it was as if they were coming home. “Primadona Like Me” kicked off their set, followed by “Body Talks,” two songs that sparked the masses into a frenzy that did not stop for the rest of the night. Philly was in for a treat as the band played their first album in its entirety, calling back to the days when they played those same songs in much smaller venues like TLA and The Foundry.
The energy that The Struts produce cannot be contained and is truly infectious; every person from the balcony to the barrier danced and sang. It has been repeated time and time again that rock and roll is a dying genre, a fad from a bygone era. Last night proved such theories wrong. Both bands crafted an unforgettable show embracing freedom, all the rock and roll hell raising antics, and the heart the music carries.
The Los Angeles-based rock band Dirty Honey opened the evening with a ripping set of gritty rock and roll. Every song was an adrenaline shot to the brain with driving guitar solos from John Notto and Marc Labelle’s whipping vocals. Justin Smolian’s stellar bass grooves and stage presence rallied the audience, and drummer Jaydon Bean laid down a thunderous pulse with each swing to his kit. Dirty Honey proved they are one of the finest bands playing rock music today, and without a doubt, earned themselves a few new fans.
About ten minutes after nine, The Struts took the stage to a roaring crowd, and you could tell by their faces it was as if they were coming home. “Primadona Like Me” kicked off their set, followed by “Body Talks,” two songs that sparked the masses into a frenzy that did not stop for the rest of the night. Philly was in for a treat as the band played their first album in its entirety, calling back to the days when they played those same songs in much smaller venues like TLA and The Foundry.
The energy that The Struts produce cannot be contained and is truly infectious; every person from the balcony to the barrier danced and sang. It has been repeated time and time again that rock and roll is a dying genre, a fad from a bygone era. Last night proved such theories wrong. Both bands crafted an unforgettable show embracing freedom, all the rock and roll hell raising antics, and the heart the music carries.
The Struts
Dirty Honey
