On Friday night, Shane Smith and the Saints sold out the House of Blues in San Diego. As I was coming into the venue, there was a line of people at the box office trying to get tickets for the show which just goes to show how much San Diego loves Shane! I have truly never seen the San Diego venue more packed.
As the lights dimmed, Shane Smith and the Saints came on stage and the crowd went crazy. You could tell by the energy that filled the room, this was going to be a night to remember. Shane Smith and the Saints had a soft and simple stage setup which really matched their vibe for the night. It was a soulful and memorable yet action-packed night with unmatched energy.
They performed some of their hits like my personal favorites “Adeline,” “All I See Is You,” and their cover of “Hurricane.” Shane has one of those voices that feels like a scratch being itched in your brain, a soft yet rough and soulful western sound. With every lyric he sings, you really feel the emotion in each word. The rest of the band amplified his sound by giving phenomenal performances on each of their respected instruments: Drummer Zach Stover and fiddle player Bennett Brown specifically caught my eye; Zach was wearing an all-black fit with a pair of sunglasses which elevated his aura while the other band members were in more western style outfits. Bennett gave an incredible and deeply soulful performance on the fiddle. In my personal opinion, the fiddle is the most underrated instrument — it creates such a unique sound that really adds to the overall vibe and set. Bennett was incredible and delivered not just a great sound but his performance elevated the set and had fans loving every minute. The fans were cheering so loud for him during his solo part, me included.
During their set, Shane Smith and the Saints brought up a young fan to sing a duet with Shane on a song and she absolutely killed it! The moment she started singing, the fans instantly started cheering. I was pleasantly impressed with how beautiful her voice was. It’s always iffy on what you’re going to get when a fan comes up to sing but this young woman was incredible and definitely got a new fanbase within the fans attending the show that night! As the night ended, Shane Smith and the Saints closed out with their hit song “All I See Is You” and thanked the fans for attending and giving them such great energy. They promised to be back and that day couldn’t come fast enough!
GALLERY: Shane Smith and The Saints at House of Blues in San Diego, California
