LIVE REVIEW // Thee Sacred Souls @ Brooklyn Steel
The other week, I went into Thee Sacred Souls’ show somewhat blindly, knowing only a few key bits of information:
The show was at Brooklyn Steel, an 1,800 capacity venue, which they sold out.
They’re signed to Daptone Records, the same label that Charles Bradley and The James Hunter Six, two of my favorite soul proprietors, are signed to.
Their music takes a lot of inspiration from the music of soul and R&B’s past.
So naturally, I was pumped, hot ‘n’ ready, and gearing up for a great show. And boy, was it everything I dreamed of.
Commencing the show was Jalen Ngonda, a fellow Daptone signee, whose voice was slick and warm, the kind of endearingly sappy music that feels far too special to share with most, but if you’ve got that special someone, it makes your heart flutter. (I, for one, cannot speak to that experience, but it sounds nice.) I marveled at his performance with wide-eyed admiration, the way that dads beam at historical architecture on vacation – awestruck by its existence and honored to be in its presence.
Say She She was next, a rip-roaring trio plus seven-piece backing band that blew my mind. They call their music “discodelic soul”, a mostly-fitting name, but one that fails to mention their operatic inclination. All three singers had unbelievable vocal chops, with massive ranges that gave me whiplash (in a good way). In coordinating black and white outfits, they tore up the stage, bringing a little moxie and a lot of glitter to the evening.
Finally, Thee Sacred Souls took the stage, in respectable, understated outfits, but worn in true 1970s fashion – high-waisted pants for days. The three piece group, made up of drummer Alex Garcia, singer Josh Lane, and bassist Sal Samano, was incendiary. The performance was chock full of love and devotion and passion and all the other things I so fraudulently pretend I’m above (but really, this was me in the back during “Trade of Hearts”).
Like a baby kangaroo, or any paper receipt I’ve ever been given, they were deep in the pocket. It was truly incredible to watch, and I woke up with a stiff neck from the amount of bopping I did. They played all the hits, which I of course didn’t know, but the audience’s reception was enough to indicate their popularity. At one point, Lane wandered through the crowd, the mass of fans parting at his presence like the sea for Jesus.
Thee Sacred Souls made a fan out of me. I spent the days after the show binge-listening to their discography, crate-digging for old soul and R&B wax, and even contemplating signing up for a dating app and finding love so I could experience their songs in the gushy, saccharine depths of my heart.
It’s not every day a band tempts me to do that.
Words: Bella Savignano // Photos: Jac Clayton
Keep up with Thee Sacred Souls on Instagram and stream on Spotify or Apple Music.
