Palm Honey’s progression to becoming one of Reading’s favourite live bands has been most evident by how packed out the room has been each time they play at the Purple Turtle.
To say the audience was squeezed in between the walls of the Purple Turtle would be an understatement. Word has obviously spread like wildfire and excited punters from Reading and beyond had travelled to witness Palm Honey play their best hometown show to date.
The night saw the debut of several new songs, alongside the well-known favourites. Setting off the set with an extended intro that led into recent single, ‘Stick the Knife In’, Palm Honey were in full form. The first new song of the set ‘Hot Simian Weather’ followed on, and was met with a hot reception.
The new tunes have a heavier feel, and carry the live experimentation that Palm Honey have become known for into the mixing pot. This is most evident on the dual-parted songs ‘Starving, Part 1, and Starving, Part 2’. These two songs wind and shift mood regularly throughout their performance; just as you feel like you’ve worked it out, you’re led in a new direction with the tempo picking up before crashing down again. It’s exciting to see what direction the recorded versions of these tracks take.
After the onslaught of new songs, we’re brought back to familiar ground with ‘Going Normal’ from their standout debut EP ‘Tucked Into the Electronic Way’, getting the crowd grooving along to the undeniably danceable rhythm section. This leaves fan favourite, ‘I Can Try’, to close the set, and you’d never have thought as the guitar stabs start the song that 20 minutes later, it’d come to it’s conclusion. The song brilliantly morphed into a spontaneous jam, with audience members being brought up onstage to play guitar with the band. It was easily a highlight of the show and saw the crowd beaming from ear to ear. Seeing the band improvise freely onstage, developing ‘I Can Try’ in front of our own eyes, was inspirational, and is exactly what sets the band apart from anyone else right now.
Palm Honey may have played in Reading countless times, but this was one show that will never be forgotten.
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