Photo by Chelsea Pujols / SOC Images.
TLDR: Thee Sacred Souls at White Eagle Hall not only marked the band’s first show of the “Live for You” tour, but a more-than-great moment for the Jersey City music scene. With an excellent mix of cult classics and newer songs, the May 24 show was vibrant, vulnerable and vivacious, leaving anyone who went itching for the band’s next New Jersey visit.
Thee Sacred Souls, along with opener Tré Burt, brought California soul and folk to Jersey City’s White Eagle Hall.
Marking the start of the “Live For You” tour and a completely sold-out show for the local venue, the excitement in the air was more than palpable. Concert-goers of all ages filled the standing-room-only space, buzzing with anticipation for the neo-soul band. Watchers on the balcony also made their presence known as they waved and cheered overlooking the stage.
Opener Tré Burt was given a warm New Jersey welcome with loud clapping, cheers and an “I’m just trying to support you, bro” from an excited audience member. Recalling his long friendship with Thee Sacred Souls frontman Josh Lane said, “Look where we are now.”
Accompanied by blue and purple lighting and a single guitar, Burt’s set took the crowd through an emotional journey about heartbreak, love and “sh*tty drivers.” Judging by the crowd’s swaying and enthusiasm after each song, it seems that traffic and not-so-qualified people behind the wheel are messages uniting the two coasts of the United States.
Burt, who spoke to Slice of Culture, agreed with the sentiment. “Whatever differences can be said about the west and east coast…we all crash the same way, bumper-to-bumper,” he said.
Aside from car trouble similarities, Burt enjoyed Jersey City’s unique atmosphere during his visit.
“Jersey City was sick, I really like it. It’s its own place, and you can tell by the way people present themselves. I f*ck with Jersey City and I can’t wait to come back,” he said.
Andy delos Santos, a new member of Thee Sacred Souls touring band, also enjoyed his time in Jersey City, taking the time to enjoy local spots like Clove Garden of India. “The band had a great time in Jersey City, we ate some great food and met some wonderful people,” he said.
The energy did not die out during the small intermission between acts. The silence only amplified the feeling that can only be described as “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God”: an emotion that could only be matched by waiting in line at an amusement park’s most terrifying ride or when you think you finally found a parking spot. The crowd pushed closer to the edge of the stage, eager for a better look at the headlining band. Camcorders, cell phones and digital cameras rose above a multitude of heads.
Despite the amount of technology surrounding fans, they were alert and fully present in the moment: swaying to background music playing through the speakers, talking to the person next to them about their favorite songs, and desperate last-minute “Excuse mes” for a better view. Couples held each other as they anticipated hearing the voices behind the soundtrack of their love, and even those who were alone had a romantic twinkle in their eyes, with their heads up towards the stage.
The venue’s lights slightly dimmed, prompting the crowd to hold their breath. The slight hum of a guitar preparing to play evoked yet another “Oh my God,” and the rolling sound of the drums caused shrieks and screams to wash the room along with a violet hue.
To the left of the stage, trombone, trumpet and saxophone players Steven, Julian and Camille greeted the energetic crowd with a vibrant introduction to the rest of the night’s soulful sounds. The rest of the band opted to walk in one by one, making the crowd’s shouts louder than the one before.
Lastly, the beloved frontman Josh Lane, dressed in a light blue outfit matching the venue’s choice of lighting, took the stage and began the set with “Love Comes Easy.”
“Price I’ll Pay” followed. Exquisitely accompanied by vocalists Viane Escobar and Andy Delos Santos, the three interacted with the crowd through pointing, dancing along and eye contact, making the jam-packed room feel intimate and exclusive.
The next song sparked a very loud “YES” from me, and the crowd seemed to agree with my zeal. (Author’s note: This is the first of many songs that garnered a “YESSSS” from me, but who doesn’t experience serotonin at its highest level when listening to live music?)
“Will I See You Again?” is the most popular song on the band’s Spotify, with 109 million streams. As the room shook with the first few introductory chords of the song, it doesn’t take a scientist to gather that the majority of the streams came from the room we found ourselves in.
“Easier Said Than Done” was a special moment for the couples in the room. As Lane pointed to the lovers in the crowd, it felt as if they were receiving a pat on the back from the singer. Though the band takes us back to the groovier times of the sixties and seventies, it is clear Lane recognizes the struggle of dating in 2025.
After a celebratory moment for the romantically successful in the room, “Running Away” provides the singles and those with commitment issues their time to shine. An upbeat song about a man who finds a “good girl who wants to stay” caused Lane to step off the stage and dance with the crowd.
Lane disappeared off into the balcony with a much softer energy for “It’s Our Love,” dedicating the song to the Palestinian, Congolese and Sudanese people. He said:
“‘It’s Our Love’ is much bigger than a love song…I believe that if I deserve freedom, so do you. If I deserve protection and love, so do you. So do the Palestinians, and the Sudanese and the Congolese.”
Thee Sacred Souls are no stranger to using their platform to discuss pertinent and current events in history. “Give Us Justice” takes us through a vulnerable reflection from Lane as he contemplates being in the place of George Floyd and other victims of police brutality, using the protest chant, “No justice, no peace” in the chorus of the song. The singer has also been spotted wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh, which represents Palestinian olive trees, land and sea, on multiple occasions.
In their 2024 Tiny Desk Performance at NPR, Lane expressed a similar sentiment to the one at Jersey City. Introducing “Love Is The Way,” Lane said:
“This next song is called ‘Love Is The Way,’ and it’s an important song…it’s about the idea that love is just a really powerful word that transcends any of the borders that are available to us as a humanity today. As I live alongside you guys and have been around the last several months, I’ve seen that some people aren’t extended this love that I believe in, that this song is about. So I want to dedicate this song to any and everybody who doesn’t get this love that I believe in, and I want to say to the people watching: Don’t let anyone tell you that this life is about gaining or success or victory, dominance…the only real victory is for love to be extended to every human from every side, every corner of this Earth, and I believe that this song is the offering that we want to share to people.”
This same passion, honesty and vulnerability was felt as “It’s Our Love” continued to play and as Lane moved back into the crowd.
Time seemed to freeze at White Eagle Hall, where the room filled with singing and swaying.
In a time where many find themselves without hope and living in fear, moments like these are rare. There was an easily identifiable feeling of freedom as some audience members had their eyes closed, some no longer cared about being on-key, and others with a smile stretching from ear to ear. As someone who is supposed to have the words to describe everything, I find myself struggling to find just the right ones.
Songs continued to play, but the energy had shifted. Though the lights had been switched from blue to red and green, this was not the only difference in the room. People seemed to move in confidence, yell with liberty and dance with free rein; we were the ones who changed.
“Losing Side of Love” provided an effective ease into the darker songs about the trials and tribulations of love.
Pure red mood lighting served as a perfect companion to the ultimate yearners’ anthem, “Weak For Your Love.”
And before the audience knew it, the night was over. The stage was slowly emptied and the lights dimmed yet again, prompting “one more song” chants from everyone.
In typical concert fashion, this was not truly the end.
After a couple of minutes of chanting and demands for a return, Steven, Julian and Camille satisfied the crowd. Though there were two additional songs, “Future Lover” and “Can I Call You Rose,” Jersey City had a special third: “Happy Birthday” to Thee Sacred Soul’s drummer.
