The California Honeydrops put Crystal Bay under a spell

California Honeydrops fill the room at Crystal Bay. Photos: Larry Sabo

January, 2025

Crystal Bay Casino’s Crown Room was proud to be hosting The California Honeydrops for their “Keep On Diggin'” North American tour for the second night in a row of two sold out shows.

The night marked Honeydrops’ vocalist, Lech Wierzynski’s 43rd birthday, and the band of 9 musicians played off of that energy! While the room glowed with excitement as the band took the stage, the feeling was elevated with they introduced a surprise guest musician, “Mighty” Mike Shermer, a local master guitarist from Reno, who woud be sitting in with the for the evening.

Onstage were three guitarists, two drum kits, three horns (the brass section consisting of trombone, saxophone, trumpet, and a clarinet) and of course a keyboard. Together they played a wonderful mix of eclectic genres such with a Cajun-Zydeco blend including playing a washboard with a funky beat before transitioning to a bluesy rock, jazz, all overlaying a jammin beat. The Honeydrops blended many different genres together to give their original tunes a timeless sound bordering on magical at times! What also sets them apart from other bands is the great improvisational skill that they bring to each show. Because of this skill, they play without a written set list, making each performance uniquely different from any other!

They opened the second set with a cover of an oldie from Eddie Floyd, “I’ve Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do” (1968). As they put their own spin on it, as it was so full of joy, everyone enjoyed dancing to the blend of Motown, with a New Orleans street musician’s vibe, and the incredible horn section! The California Honeydrops are definitely a multi-talented band of musicians, which brought such magic to their music and the room.

Happy 43rd Birthday to Lech! It was quite the party and an incredible evening!

The California Honeydrops’ vocalist Lech Wierzynski celebrates his birthday.
The band’s horn section made up a third of their nine piece lineup.
California Honeydrops’ keyboard player, Lorenzo Loera
Drummer Ben Malament
The California Honeydrops perform at the Crown Room in Crystal Bay.

View Larry Sabo’s full gallery from Night 2 of The California Honeydrops at Crystal Bay Casino in Lake Tahoe.

Check out more coverage of The California Honeydrops:

ABOUT Marcia Schultz

Picture of Marcia Schultz
Marcia Schultz is a longtime Tahoe resident who has followed the music scene for many years. She has enjoyed different music genres from the West Coast to Nashville. She has been working with Tahoe Onstage since 2019.

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