A Dreamy October Evening with Love Spells
Article and Photo by Ellie Kummer
Friday night at Schubas is always packed, but there was a line surrounding the bar before doors even opened for will call. Eager fans were searching up and down for anyone with a spare ticket to the sold-out show. The cusp of October was upon Chicago, and the autumn air made fans hungry for the crisp and dreamy tone of Sir Taegen Harris of Love Spells.
Before Love Spells took the stage, Mylena Velasquez and Daniel Louis Galloway of Orca vibrantly set the mood. As the chandelier dimmed, the duo flooded the intimate room with romantic and hazy guitar. Velasquez led with soft vocals while Galloway matched with moody energy on the drums. The standout moment, however, was when they harmonized. Their emotional lyrics and electrifying on-stage chemistry immediately pulled the audience in and anchored everyone's eyes to the stage.
Orca’s magnetic energy carried right into the headline set. Soon, red lights flooded the room and Love Spells entered with their single, “Lovers Only.” As the heartbreaking melody and mournful guitar melded with Harris’ dreamy falsetto, the audience leaned a little closer to one another. Nodding to Harris' Houston roots, much of the set carried a slow, southern tempo that made dancing along feel effortless. The highlight of the night, “Keep It To Yourself,” had the audience in complete awe. This song from his debut album, Love Is the Law, showcased Love Spells' stunning range. Harris demonstrated smooth command across registers, reaching rich, deep notes and sliding into controlled and clear highs, all while twirling around and dancing with his bandmates.
While his vocals were captivating, it was Love Spells’ stage presence that was the star of the show. Harris had the audience charmed from the moment he took the stage. Throughout the night, he beckoned the crowd to dance, sing, and chat with him, making the small room feel like an intimate hangout. Mid-song, Harris playfully commanded the crowd to get down low, and everyone obeyed with contagious laughter. By the end of the set, the room was passionately singing along to “Crutch.” It was a magical moment, and one can imagine the somber lyrics “how does it feel” bleeding out onto the street to mix with the cold autumn wind.
Harris is spending the rest of the month touring through California, with upcoming performances in San Francisco, Santa Ana, San Diego, and Los Angeles. For more of Love Spells, check out his collaboration “Doggy” with Dominic Fike, Geezer, Kevin Abstract, and Truly Young available wherever you stream music.