Thee Sacred Souls Shine Under a Full Moon
LA LOM and the Womack Sisters Join for a Soulful Night at the Salt Shed
Article and Photos by Grace Venezia
Since 2022, Thee Sacred Souls have taken their music across Europe and the Americas, steadily building a following with their blend of soul, rocksteady rhythm, and Latin influence. On Saturday night, the trio brought their sound to the Salt Shed fairgrounds, headlining a lineup that included LA LOM and the Womack Sisters. Above them, a full moon hung over the stage. With the band's airy instrumentation drifting across the grounds, the moon felt less like an object and more like a guest, welcomed and watching from the sky above. The moon would remain a part of the set, as frontman and vocalist Josh Lane referenced and regarded it throughout the night.
Thee Sacred Souls formed in San Diego in 2019, when drummer and guitarist Alejandro Garcia and bassist Salvador Samon began making music together. After connecting with Lane through Instagram, the trio came together. Their breakout album, Got a Story to Tell, launched in 2022 and marked the beginning of a rapid ascent. Since then, the band has signed with Daptone Records, sold out headline shows, and attracted celebrity fans including SZA, Kylie Jenner, and Alicia Keys. Their music blends retro sound with modern influence, drawing from the groovy beat of Jamaican rock steady and the warmth of 1960s R&B. Blending latin rhythm and soulful harmony, their music feels nostalgic, refreshing, and alive.
On stage, the band’s affinity for performance became instantly apparent. Below, decorated fans in retro-fashion settled into the groove, singing along and shuffling their feet. Lane shocked the fans by jumping from the stage to the crowd, prancing the barricade and singing all the while. During “Running Away,” he went even further, hopping the fence to dance with the showgoers. When he returned to the stage, he was greeted by an electrified crowd.
The set moved from animated to intimate, allowing the band’s range to shine. From the sweeping vocals of “Lucid Girl,” to the softer ballad “We Don’t Have to Be Alone,” the band's music explores love, unity, and the human experience. Lane’s performance carried a note of optimism and hope, an energy that seemed to spread through the crowd. Even as he spoke to the realities of war and work culture, he maintained a warmth and positivity. In the landscape of modern activism, where cynicism often trumps hope, Lane’s message was refreshing and hopeful: an acknowledgment of what is difficult without losing sight of what is worth celebrating.
By the end of the night, The Womack Sisters and LA LOM returned to the stage, joining Thee Sacred Souls for a final, heartful moment. Fans left the venue buzzing, humming, and energized — a surefire sign of a successful night.
The Womack Sisters
LA LOM
Thee Sacred Souls
