Thee Sacred Souls Fill Fox Theatre Pomona to the Brim
Written by: Ephney Tsai
As one of Goldenvoice and Coachella Music Festival's annual side concerts for acts on the Coachella lineup, Thee Sacred Souls performed in Pomona on April 9th. With excitement at an all time high as the famed festival was only days away, the concert was easily sold out, and fans packed into the venue like sardines to get a glimpse of the main stage act.
The night started with an opening segment by Los Yesterdays. The band consisting of a keyboardist, drummer, bassist, guitarist, and vocalist performed a full forty-five minute set that included songs such as "Nobody's Clown" and "Tell Me I'm Dreaming." Though they were just the first part of the show, many fans in the audience were wildly impressed by the band, singing their praises and vibing to the music throughout their set. Exiting the stage to the sound of thunderous cheers, fans were then encountered with a brief break to run to the restroom, head upstairs to use the free photo booth, or run to the bar to refill their cups.
Even though the crowd had thinned following Los Yesterdays stage as fans took advantage of the break, the quaint venue very quickly filled up once again. Walkways began to overcrowd with attendees eager to see the main act, and the air became almost palpable with the heaviness of sweat and smoke from various vape pens and attendees. As the time neared and passed the expected start time of 9:15pm, security guards eventually had to intervene, ushering fans into designated areas. Despite this slight hiccup, it only served as an indication of how high the anticipation was for the main act to take the stage. Fans were eager, restless, and ready to enjoy the music of Thee Sacred Souls.
When it finally came time for their set, the brass section took the stage first. Trumpeteer, trombonist, and saxophonist had their moment to shine with an instrumental section to kick off the set, followed by the rest of the band. A string section, guitarist, bassist, drummer, percussionist, and pianist soon joined them onstage, and the last one up was lead singer Josh Lane. The band launched into the music right away, performing a slew of their songs such as "Lucid Girl," "Love Comes Easy," and "Let Me Feel Your Charm." As the night continued on, Josh walked across the stage, greeting fans on each side and those on the patio. He also took turns interacting with the other members of the band, sitting by the drums or sitting near the piano. Not taking too many pauses to talk, Thee Sacred Souls let their music speak for itself.
As the beginning notes of "Will I See You Again?" and "Can I Call You Rose?" could be heard, the already-electric energy from the crowd turned up even higher. Cheers and sing-alongs grew even louder, and fans easily swayed in sync with one another as they soaked in the music. One of the most beautiful parts of the show was that very fact—that everyone was just there to enjoy the music. During both sets, but especially during Thee Sacred Souls, fans could even be seen with their eyes closed as their arms naturally lifted in the air to sway in time to the melodies. Putting together an impressive fan base of fans in it for the music, both Los Yesterdays and Thee Sacred Souls poured their hearts into their music, painting the perfect picture of their artistry.
