Review | Thee Sacred Souls’ Love Letter to Santa Barbara

Music has always had a way of weaving itself into our minds, shaping and mixing with our souls and touching each person in its own unique way. No matter what type of music you enjoy, I’ve always found that something will speak to you. As the soulful groove of Thee Sacred Souls took over the Santa Barbara Bowl at the end of August, I was one of many quickly on my feet. Not just dancing to my favorite songs but truly feeling the movement and the direction from singer Josh Lane, drummer Alex Garcia, and bassist Sal Samano. Their connection on stage and to their music was so perfectly entwined and tested, you could feel the fun from the moment the night started. 

It began with a powerhouse performance at the top of the night. The Womack Sisters took to the stage, their rich, crowned-royalty voices could be heard down the hill. BG, Zeimani, and Kucha have a long family line of soul music hit-makers, but they are certainly making their own way with their music. They performed songs from their latest self-titled album, including their most popular “Chauffeur,”“Monster,” and “If I Let You.” 

As some of the true artists of our time, the sisters draw their inspiration from real, raw, in-the-world experiences. Though they’ve got lifelong experience in the background of the industry, nothing could teach them their timelessly talented harmonies, like on “I Just Don’t Want You (To Say Goodbye),” “Laughter and Tears,” and “Didn’t Mean Much To Me.” Their entire setlist was a true celebration of natural musicality, range, and depth that the trio showcases in poignant, relevant music. I could have listened to another hour of the sisters alone — and it only made me excited for what this group will produce in the future. 

Following them was the passionate trio LA LOM, an instrumental revelry developed from the grounds of Los Angeles. Zac Sokolow (guitar), Jake Faulkner (bass), and Nicholas Baker (drums/percussion) came out full of energy, jumping into a lively set. Though I wasn’t familiar with LA LOM before this concert, they’ve quickly made their way onto my playlists to energize me throughout my day. They played some of their classics like “ Angels Point,” “Alacrán,” and “Figueroa.” And though instrumental music can trip me up and blend together, LA LOM has a unique way of giving each song a vibe that is so distinct it transports you to the town and places you somewhere familiar. They performed a few songs with accompaniment of a saxophone, trumpet, and trombone player on stage. 

From their song “Santee Alley” to “‘72 Monte Carlo,” you can’t help but feel like you’ve been dropped into a new adventure as you tune in. More than being able to perfectly convey their soundscape, the Mexican, Cuban, and Peruvian music traditions that influence their music blend together in a beautiful unique sound. The trio enlivened their music on stage, fueling rockabilly as they jumped around the stage and rallied the crowd, quick and jazzy turns in each song as they explored their music. Though I can’t confirm they played it live, “Danza de LA LOM” immediately gets me into a groove — whether it’s for being uber-productive or hunkering down for a long car ride.

As LA LOM closed out their set, they brought The Womack Sisters on stage with them. The two trios performed “Unchain My Heart” together with the horn and saxophone — a song and collaboration that came and went too quickly. Nonetheless this last fusion of style enlivened the crowd and perfectly prepped the stage for our main act. 

A rainbow technicolor took over the Bowl as Thee Sacred Souls descended to the stage with a full band accompaniment including horns, the saxophone, and some latin percussion. The trio lit up “Love Comes Easy” to open, breathing a tried-and-true soulful ease into the crowd. Getting to hear Josh Lane’s vocals live and in-person was so enriching — I’ve been a longtime fan. 

When I spoke with drummer and guitarist Alex Garcia last month, he mentioned how inspiring it is to hear people in the crowd “singing songs that you made in your garage.” You could feel that close-knit bond the trio shares through the night, pulling from their discography to carefully craft a show of their souls. Through their music they understand and share the human experience so well, giving grace to and empowering the “Lucid Girl” while other songs like “Will I See You Again?” and “Easier Said Than Done” explore the struggles and the highs of relationships, romantic and otherwise. 

A highlight of their set was getting to hear “Let Me Feel Your Charm” live — backup vocalists Vianē Escobar and Astyn Turrentine blended their harmonies so beautifully with Lane’s lead. The addition of their vocals to each song, adding in some swaying dance steps during “Lady Love” and “We Don’t Have to Be Alone,” really got the crowd to their feet. They also joined Lane for an amazing harmonized cover of “We Go Together” by The Royal Jesters, which was one of the sweetest songs. 

Thee Sacred Souls didn’t shy away from the deeper conversations of today, either. Songs like “Waiting on the Right Time” and “For Now” explored the side of soul that compels us to chase love, as well as the pain and the hope of each day. Lane also proudly spoke out against the Palestinian genocide, Gaza occupation, and ICE. Lane said that the idea of America that he grew up with is not what America is today, that we can’t live up to that dream. “We’re taught that the more dominance you have the more love you will receive, the bigger your bombs are, the more respect and love you get overseas. Look where that’s got us. A genocide on the Palestinian people, exploitating the Congolese, the Sudanese, the Yemenis, and ICE terrorizing our immigrant families here in America, the United States. This is what teaching dominance gets you,” Lane called out. 

In true soul fashion though, Lane encouraged the crowd to stop leading with the dominance mindset that has been thrust upon us. “But what I’ve learned from the tradition of music, specifically the tradition of soul, is the power of love. Especially in the right hands. Santa Barbara, love is the way,” Lane said. Getting to shout back “love is the way” felt cathartic, as was getting to hear “Love is the Way I Feel” and see Lane hold up a “Free Palestine” and “FUCK ICE” sign as he sang. 

Of course it can’t all be heartache and fight. The trio also played their classic hits “Any Old Fool” and “Weak for Your Love,” while expanding their sound with the band, improvising and adding in some fun twists to the sound I’ve known and loved. My favorite portion of the night was hearing “Running Away.” I did my research of what the concerts might be like, but watching Josh Lane jump into the pit during this song made me happy and immediately a bit jealous — but of course that’s what those tickets are good for! I didn’t have to stew in my feelings long. In what I can only attest to being an insane feat, Lane dashed up from the pit and looped, swerved, and climbed all the way to the top of the Bowl’s seats, moving from left to right, and back down again. At one point he was close enough for me to touch which sated my jealousy immediately. I was also incredibly impressed to watch him make his way all the way around the venue where he sang “Future Lover” upon his dissent back to the stage. 

To close out the show, the trio played “Live for You” and “Call I Call You Rose” with their full band and horn accompaniment. It brought the lively night to a sweet simmer as Lane gave a shoutout to each performer, and Lane gave a shoutout to the “back-up-and-a-half” singer Vianē Escobar, who is pregnant, which somehow made her touchingly light and airy performance all night feel even more personal and special.

I could still feel the music buzzing through me when I left, and I couldn’t help but throw on some more of Thee Sacred Souls on my drive home. The trio has already released a few singles this year through their label Daptone Records, and they don’t have plans on stopping now. Even when I was on the phone interviewing Alex Garcia, he had a guitar in his hand, “still finalizing tunes and trying to work out new stuff,” as he puts it. 

Whatever they release next, I know I’ll be tuning in.