Late Nights, Soft Lights
Ten Years In Focus
HONNE are a London-formed duo, Andy Clutterbuck and James Hatcher, known for tender vocals over warm synths and soft-motion grooves. This anniversary run marks a decade from bedroom demos to global singalongs, with songs built for late-night sidewalks rather than big drops. Expect a sleek, mid-tempo set that threads
Warm on a Cold Night,
Day 1,
Location Unknown, and
no song without you between newer cuts. Crowds skew mixed in age but lean twenty-something, lots of couples, quiet head-nods up front, and friends posting film photos near the back. A fun detail: the name comes from the Japanese word honne, 'true feelings,' and their early singles appeared on their Tatemae Recordings imprint, a wink at public vs private selves. You might also catch Andy swapping between falsetto and a hushed baritone while James colors lines with guitar that feels more like a second voice than a lead. Heads up: the songs and production touches mentioned here are inferred from recent runs and can shift by city and venue. Expect an opener that blooms slowly, a mid-show acoustic breather, and a finish that lets the beat ride long enough for one more chorus off-mic.
The HONNE Scene, From Door To Encore
Quiet Style, Warm Chants
Little Souvenirs of a Late Walk
The room feels like a quiet meet-up more than a party, with soft earth tones, clean sneakers, and light jackets even indoors. Couples hold hands near the rail while small friend groups trade nods during the first lines of familiar hooks. When the chorus of
Day 1 hits, the 'you're my number one' line becomes a low, warm choir that the band often lets ride a capella for a bar. Fans snap film or half-frame photos between songs rather than during big moments, keeping eyes up for the slow builds. Merch leans pastel and minimal, with line-art hearts and the honne/tatemae motif, plus vinyl that sells out quickest in cities with strong record-store culture. Older fans from the first EP era wear faded
Warm on a Cold Night tees, standing next to newer faces who found the duo through cross-genre collabs. Post-show, conversations are about tones and lyrics as much as selfies, which suits music built for late walks home.
How HONNE Make It Breathe Live
Pulse First, Then Glow
Space Around the Voice
The vocal center is a hushed baritone that flips to featherlight falsetto, always sitting just on top of the beat. Guitars carry clean, chorus-tinted lines while keys fill the middle with analog-style warmth, so nothing ever feels sharp or brittle. Tempos live stay mid-range, but the band will stretch intros and codas to let grooves breathe before a chorus lands. On some songs, the arrangement strips down to piano, voice, and a dry kick, then swells as pads and bass fade back in. A neat detail: they recreate the record's gentle 'pump' using a kick-triggered compressor so the synths subtly duck, giving that heartbeat feel without blasting volume. Expect the drummer to play a hybrid kit, anchoring the pocket while samples handle snaps and claps that would sound thin on acoustic drums. Lighting favors amber and midnight blue to match the warm-night theme, with simple shapes that frame, not chase, the songs.
If You Like HONNE, You Might Like These
Kindred Tones
Fans Who Cross the Street
Fans of
Oh Wonder tend to click here because both acts favor soft, conversational melodies over cushioned beats.
LANY shares the late-night, city-light mood and a focus on hooks you can hum on the train ride home.
SG Lewis brings sleek, dance-leaning production that mirrors the duo's love of warm bass and glassy synths. If you like nimble guitar lines and pocket grooves,
Tom Misch hits that sweet spot, and his crowd also leans into mellow, feel-good movement. All four acts balance intimacy with polish, reward quiet listening, and still deliver a clean, singalong-friendly show.
