Easy Honey: from College House Shows to the Touring Circuit By Clare Snyder

Indie rock band Easy Honey has spent the past five years building a fruitful reputation for themselves through consistent touring and curating a unique sound blending folk and surf-rock influences. The Charleston, South Carolina band has been on an ongoing North American tour since August 2021, curating their image gracefully by building a concrete fanbase in the indie rock scene. Co-frontman and guitarist Selby Austin says the band first came together in Sewanee, Tennessee, “there was a local college out there, a small school. There was not a lot to do in the town; there were no bars, clubs, or anything, so we started playing at parties and writing our music, that's kind of how we got going,” says Austin. The band draws influence from several artists, including The Smashing Pumpkins, who Austin says inspires his guitar playing. Easy Honey’s sound unites a carefree surf-rock feel with introspective folk songwriting, creating music that feels easygoing yet emotionally attuned. 

Their sound has taken Easy Honey across the country, and after years, the band has learned how each place shapes the way a show feels, emphasizing how much each location influences the show. Lead bassist and brother of frontman Selby, Webster Austin, reflects on what he has learned throughout touring, stating, “I’ve learned that where the band is playing absorbs a lot of the culture. Whether it is what we eat that day, or through the people we meet, the people at the gas station, or the people working at the venue. We get to absorb some of that, and it's all because of the music. Even if you are playing the exact same notes that night, which we don’t do because we like to improvise a lot, it is always informed by where you are.” For Easy Honey, live shows are where the strongest connections happen. It is more than just performing for the band, but rather taking what they learn from new audiences and environments and implementing it where they want.

Easy Honey combines boisterous melodies with thoughtful storytelling, making their songs a space for double meaning, where a listener can find themselves in a state of relaxation or soul-searching. This blend has helped the band carve out a space within the indie rock atmosphere, appealing to audiences who resonate with the contrast of mellow beats and emotionally abundant storytelling. 

Performing almost every night comes with potential off days or a lack of energy due to late nights. Charlie Holt, the drummer, explains how they combat this. “I think just listening to each other play. It’s like when you go and meet your friend and hang out and have a conversation that is energizing; it is the same thing on stage.” Charlie says. Selby chimes in, saying, “That's why they call it playing, it's like child's play, that's where it originates, fucking playing. But yeah, that's really the thing, just feeding off each other. The best stuff is when four people can come together and make something and experience it with the rest of the room-the collective experience. That's what everyone craves about live music.” Easy Honey’s album Cupidity Unlimited embraces the same attitudes of spontaneity and relatedness that define the band’s live performances. 

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By Clare Snyder