Words & Photos by Connor Hannan
This show was everything I wanted it to be. Honey Revenge’s biggest headliner yet, at The Vic no less, and Chicago showed up. The energy, the crowd, the setlist, the chaos… it was perfect.
The night kicked off with Nightlife, and they brought the smoothest, most soulful energy to open things up. Their mix of R&B, alt-rock, and straight-up coolness set the tone so well. Their sax player stole the spotlight multiple times—and yes, he twerked mid-solo, and the entire floor lost it. A band I wasn’t super familiar with going in, but I left a full fan.
Next up was Vana, and wow—she has a presence. Her vocals were insane, flipping between beautiful cleans and guttural screams like it was nothing. Her outfit? Immaculate. The whole band was tight, and you could tell they meant every second of that set. Definitely one of the most emotionally charged openers I’ve seen in a while.
Daisy Grenade came on third and instantly turned the place into a punk-pop riot. Their energy was wild—in the best way. They ripped through “So Happy” and “Cult Classic,” had the crowd fully jumping, and even surprised everyone with a King for a Day cover that nearly tore the roof off. Their set was unhinged in the most fun, chaotic way possible.
And then—Honey Revenge.
They opened with “Risk” and didn’t let up from there. Devin sounded so good—clear, strong, and totally in control. Donny was an absolute beast on guitar, and the chemistry between them was just there. The crowd was screaming every word, especially during “Sensitive,” “Distracted,” and “Are You Impressed?” (which included a whole crowd crouch-jump moment that shook the floor).
Devin took a second in the middle of the set to talk about how much Chicago means to her, how her dad was from here, and how this was their biggest headlining crowd to date. It was raw and real, and it made the performance of “Loving and Losing” that followed even more emotional. That song, along with “Jealousy Monster” and “Concentrate” (both unreleased), gave us a preview of a deeper, more vulnerable direction, and I’m so here for it.
Highlights? Devin jumping into the crowd during “Worst Apology,” the conga line that somehow actually worked during “Favorite Song,” and the entire crowd absolutely screaming “Airhead” to close the main set. And just when we thought it was over, they came back out for a brutal encore cover of Knocked Loose’s “Counting Worms.” No one was ready. Everyone lost their minds.
This wasn’t just a concert. It felt like a milestone for the band and the fans. Honey Revenge leveled up, and I’m beyond glad I got to be there to scream every word with them.
Honey Revenge
Daisy Grenade
Vana
