Review and images by Erin Lee
On Monday, April 8, at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale Saint Motel immersed us in the Awards Show.
I eagerly made my way to the floor, figuring it'd be safer than most shows. A guy behind me shared my sentiment as I overheard him say to his friend: "We're not ripping heavy metal. We should be good standing here."
Indeed, the danger was not in a mosh pit, but in falling in love with your newfound dance partners, as singer A/J Jackson instructed us early in the show to introduce ourselves to the people around us and make friends before appropriately playing "Sweet Talk," from their 2016 album Saintmotelevision.
But I'm getting ahead of myself! Let's go back to the concept of the Awards Show Tour. The tone was set from the moment the opening acts finished their sets.
Instead of the usual house music during tear down and set up, we were treated to classical guitar instrumental tracks of Saint Motel songs. Even without a vocal track, everyone around me was singing-myself included.
The stage was set with pieces reminiscent of the golden age of awards shows in shades of red and gold. The band took the stage in gold suits, with A/J in head to toe red velvet.
An overhead announcement welcomed us, pulling us into the theme of the evening: an awards show in which the fans had an opportunity to vote between 3 songs in 4 spots spread throughout the setlist.
Everyone was in on the bit, including crew members.
Each member of the band was introduced by the announcer throughout the show's duration: first bassist Dak Lerdamornpong, then drummer Greg Erwin, guitarist Aaron Sharp, and finally singer A/J Jackson.
Each band member read off the choices before calling out the winner. A/J did the last fan vote slot, inviting a woman from the crowd on stage to help him read off the last of the voted-in songs.
Setlist diversity: we love to see it. In addition to fan votes, the audience was treated to radio hits like 2016's "Move," and new songs "Everyone's a Guru Now" and "Fine Wine," which have yet to be released on a full-length album.
Rounded off with a fun horn section, the players kept the audience moving and enjoying the show with their high energy.
Jackson showed off his versatility as a musician, moving fluidly to the keyboard with his guitar still strapped to him, at times playing both instruments AND singing during the course of one song.
Saxophone player Jeremy Trezona also pulled double duty on the keys at times.
True to the vibe of the evening, when the band finished playing the last fan vote song, the crowd began chanting for "Sisters," another track from that voting category. Jackson obliged the request: "It didn't win the vote! But! It IS the first night of tour, so..."
Many modern bands have chosen to forgo the traditional encore, but Saint Motel incorporated it into the theme by creating an "orchestral category" montage of songs projected on a screen. This played while the members stepped off stage for a brief break.
After the montage, the band returned dressed down in black shirts, with Jackson sporting a gold varsity jacket.
Before the final song, he addressed the audience on the floor. We were encouraged to part down the middle and show off our dance moves. Several people got in on the fun as Saint Motel launched into arguably their most well-known song: "My Type."
The band held it down on stage while A/J made his way around the perimeter of the venue on bar tops, calling out for us to jump up and down, which we happily obliged. The crowd broke into a full-on frenzy, shouting every lyric until the end.
What a phenomenal experience this show was. Thoughtful details from beginning to end really made this a special night to remember.
Comments