Thee Sacred Souls at Antone’s (ATX) and Jaime’s Place (SATX)

When I first heard “Weak for Your Love” by Thee Sacred Souls I lost my natural mind because it felt like I was in a much needed time warp. Released in the thick of the pandemic, a song about not only love but being madly in love, felt like a hug after a scarcity of warmth and comfort in my life. I swayed, barefoot in my living room, and slow danced as the video played on my television. It was the sound of the song. The red in the beginning of the music video with the repetition and hypnotizing guitar pluck, the piano pleading with you to notice it and notice it good, and then the red overlay on the guitar and drums in the video. The haze and foggy night captured in the music video and the lead singer Josh Lane’s “love-drunk” stumbling articulated that feeling that someone has over a person when they fall in love. But, not just fall, but fall hard. The disorientation of it all. The song simply felt like fresh love pouring out of a glass bottle into a large sterling silver basin, ready to feel the weight of the water and the love potion of sorts.

As soon as Jaime’s Place (San Antonio, Texas) announced on their Instagram account that Thee Sacred Souls were going to perform, I knew I had to be there, even though I was living in Dallas at the time. (I couldn’t let that simple geography stop me from seeing this band live. No way. No how.) The tickets sold out like paletas in hot Texas weather. As a result, they released more tickets to the public, selling out yet again.

Two nights before the show at Jaime’s Place, I managed to get tickets to go to the Austin show at Antone’s courtesy of a kind and sacred soul in their own right. (Forever grateful.) Within the span of three days, I had the honor of seeing Thee Sacred Souls in two completely different venues with two completely different atmospheres, and I’m here to tell you all about it.

As a long time concert goer, I was beyond stoked to finally get into Antone’s because it was my first time to witness a concert there; it was on my list of venues to get stamped at. The stage had a backdrop with the ever present and radiant red that read “Thee Sacred Souls.” There was a pretty big crowd, and people were singing along as Lane serpentined through the crowd to sing sweet, sweet melodies of love and love of thy neighbor. Lane kept the “love theme” alive and the importance of it: “If anyone has been doing this love thing for more than ten hours, this song is for you,” he told the crowd. I couldn’t help but smile; “Just ten hours,” I thought. But then again, sometimes, in love, that newness of love is that elongated dopamine release–It is beyond cravable and delightfully edible when stacked on one’s plate.

The vibe in Austin was overall chill and mellow. There was a healthy love sway in the crowd that felt the soulful singing of Jensine Benitez and the other gorgeous background singer with her emerald green dress. But overall, people were not that loud and did not eject their dance moves on the floor at Antone’s. One concert goer next to me, however, was really grooving and would show that excitement when their song came on the radio or, more appropriately for this soul band, the jukebox.

I overheard someone in the crowd say, “Doesn’t Josh remind you of Marvin Gaye?” I screamed inside my skull for no one else to hear, “Yes!!!!” I had never thought of that before that precise moment, and once I heard the correlation, it was permanently stocked in my mental inventory of things that are just considered facts on my dusty shelves.

Jaime’s Place felt like it was built perfectly for a band like Thee Sacred Souls. The yellow of the buildings. The oldies lowriders sitting out front in a line like freshly baked croissants on display in glass at a patisserie. The chicanx and latinx street style and just people dressing to the nines that was beautifully everywhere. Jaime’s Place’s Instagram encouraged people to “show out in your flyest Westside chic attire,” and shoot, people eagerly obliged as their ears were “tickled” with the sounds of San Diego based band. The small business owners making tacos off to the side and the fragrance of it all. There were people alone, with friends, or on dates. The crowd listened to it all and were just starstruck by the band. The most memorable part for me was when Benitiez sang an all Spanish song to the crowd “Ilusion De Amor.” Her voice reminds me of the perfect mash-up of a lullaby and vintage vinyl with soft pops. As she performed, Lane was off to the side, recording the moment and just being a part of the crowd. A fan of hers even. One of the most spectacular things about this band is all of the singers appear to have a place center stage. After she finished that song, the crowd channeled so much love and energy to send her way, and she smiled the beautiful Miss Jensine smile to all. When the band finished, the crowd shouted “Otra! Otra! Orta!.” The band took a quick photo with two fans on the sidewalk before they made their way back to the stage. After the show, Lane took pictures with fans and signed autographs. The feeling was everything as I waited in line for tacos after the set and saw most of the band take photos with adoring San Anto fans. I am glad I made the drive down to see this show. It was one to remember. It was one that will live in my heart. In fact, I am still floating from the feelings of it all.