Evan Honer Lights Up Portland's Wonder Ballroom (Show Review + Gallery)

Evan Honer performs at Wonder Ballroom in Portland, OR on March 12.

I had the chance to catch Evan Honer’s show at Portland’s Wonder Ballroom earlier this month, and it did not disappoint!

I got in just as Leon Majcen, the opener, wrapped up, and the room was already packed with an excited audience and quickly growing merch line. From the moment he stepped on stage, Evan’s infectious energy lit up the space, and the crowd seemed to soak up every moment.

Bringing a mix of acoustic folk and indie-Americana to the industry, Honer quickly came into some viral success following a cover of “Jersey Giant” by Tyler Childers in 2022 and followed it up with West on I-10, a beautifully crafted debut full-length album in 2023. Despite plenty of record deal offers, Honer has stayed 100% independent through his own label, Cloverdale Records, and this 39-date spring tour is packing sold-out rooms around the US.

His storytelling is something special, with a raw, honest quality to his lyrics and an easy-going charm that pulls you right in. Evan toes the line between a few genres for a sound that feels both familiar and refreshing. His live performance leaned a bit on the country side for my personal taste, but I can easily picture his voice everywhere from a big arena stage to the record player in my living room on a Sunday morning.

He kicked things off with "Everything I Wanted," which was the perfect way to start the night. It’s a little more upbeat than some of his other songs, and it immediately set a fun, high-energy tone for the set. One song I was especially excited to hear live was "Foolin’ Ourselves.” It’s insanely catchy, with a fun bluesy vibe that translated so well on stage. He even brought out Jackie Miclau from Mt. Joy for a song, which was such a fun surprise!

Overall a great show and don’t be surprised if you see more of Evan Honer popping up in your playlists if you get a lot of Noah Kahan, Michael Marcagi, Henrik, or The Lumineers.

Check out his latest singles, "Everything I Wanted" and "Place I Hate" on Spotify, and see the full gallery below!