The band celebrates their hometown in their debut album, Ultraviolet
Once upon a time, in an industrial city called Windsor, Ontario, four twenty-something musicians came together to start a band. They brought a mix of styles, but they agreed on one thing: their music must reflect the community’s gritty working-class character. And so was born River Honey.
This past winter they released their premier album, the self-produced Ultraviolet, and are in the initial stages of writing the music for another. You see, while many performers make their mark as cover bands, River Honey is determined to establish their own sound and their own songs. That’s why you won’t see them at a lot of venues just yet: they want to add to their catalogue before venturing out regularly.
You might say the band’s roots were planted a decade ago when two high school friends, Nico DiGiorgio and Nick Bondar, decided it would be cool to have a band. Problem was, “we didn’t know how to play any instruments,” says Nick. “Somehow I got stuck with drums and I taught myself to play.” Nico found himself at a Billy Talent concert and within days he picked up his first guitar.
The pair began hanging around with guitarist Dane Roberts, but as often happens with high school musicians, life’s realities intervened: they needed to earn a living. Nico went into heating and cooling, Nick became an integrity welder, and Dane opted for environmental research.
Somewhere along the way, Dane met a young woman named Madeline Doornaert, whose musical interests had taken her first into opera and then folk and jazz. Seven years ago, Dane and Madeline started writing and playing music, each appreciating what the other had taught them. Dane favoured the New Wave sounds of U2, while Madeline introduced Dane to Simon and Garfunkel. They started getting airtime on local radio.
Fast-forward to early 2024 when Dane started wondering what it would be like to get Madeline, a substitute high school teacher, together with the guys who first “ignited the musical flame” back in high school. Enter Nick and Nico. “Immediately we knew we could bring together friendship and music,” says Madeline.
In April they recorded the single, “Billy the Bronco”. Dane realized how his songwriting had progressed from the beginning and says, “having more ‘lived’ experiences, I guess I had more to say.” By last fall, they had enough original music for the album.
By the time Ultraviolet was released this past winter at Meteor lounge, the band already enjoyed a following, having been played on underground radio stations across the country. “Mainstream stations won’t even read your e-mails,” says Dane, “but thanks to the underground, we’re getting noticed by a lot of people.”
Mix 96.7’s Jay Marchillo noticed and introduced River Honey to his morning audience. Listeners noticed too. “But then they’re part of the local music scene,” he says, “and I don’t think it’s ever been stronger.”
The exposure seems to have worked. When they played Meteor, Nico says they were gratified to hear audience members singing along to their lyrics.
Ultraviolet is as varied as River Honey’s members themselves. With Dane’s lead vocals, Madeline’s support and a little backup from Nick and Nico, the album ranges from the hard driving “Tarantula”, through Dane’s autobiographical “Billy the Bronco”, and on to the softer, nostalgic sadness of “Constellations”. It reflects not only the harder rock and punk preferences of Nico and Nick, but Madeline’s Americana roots and acoustic guitar, plus the loving respect Dane holds for Gord Downie’s “perfect, intentional lyrics.”
Through it all runs the Windsor/LaSalle band’s signature. “The idea we had with River Honey is if you listen closely, each song is filled with these grittier tones, more industrial sounding,” explains Dane. “Parts are rough around the edges, but there’s always this central unifying theme of warmth. You try to encourage optimism and resilience. We’re trying to be uplifting.”
So how did the band’s moniker come about? What does River Honey really mean? “Life is like a river,” Dane explains in a video they produced. “It twists, it turns, it can be messy. But when you’ve got the right people with you it can be sweet. Sweet like honey.”
