All Photos by @justinfocusphotography_ 📸
“San Antonio, love is the way.”
This quote from Thee Sacred Souls’ Josh Lane kept coming back to me throughout the rest of the night. The Constellation Tour, featuring Thee Sacred Souls, LA LOM, and The Womack Sisters, came to Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, bringing a night full of music, love, and community.
This wasn’t my first time seeing Thee Sacred Souls. I’ve seen them at festivals like ACL and Coachella, as well as their 2024 show at Stubb’s in Austin, but this was the biggest venue I had seen them perform in yet. LA LOM, however, was different. This was my first time seeing them live, and after interviewing guitarist Zac Sokolow a few days beforehand, I was even more stoked to see how everything we talked about would translate to the stage.
The Womack Sisters took the stage first, and while I unfortunately didn’t make it in time to see their set, I was grateful to LA LOM for bringing them back out during their performance. Hearing their vocals filling the arena, even for a few fleeting moments, was a nice glimpse of what I had missed.
Any expectations I had for seeing LA LOM after talking to Zac were quickly exceeded. He had told me how the band performed covers across various genres during their early days playing hotel bars, moving from cumbia to soul to rock and gradually developing those influences into their own original sound. All of those influences were on full display during their performance.
Zac told me that, much like a DJ, LA LOM adapts to the room and to what they’re feeling from the crowd, and that’s exactly what I felt happening throughout their set. Certain songs drew stronger reactions, so they played them longer and let those moments breathe as the crowd kept dancing.
Zac also talked to me about LA LOM’s connection to Texas, with sounds like cumbia, Tejano, and country influencing the band’s music. Hearing their influences come together in San Antonio made even more sense as the set unfolded, especially when the band leaned into its cumbia influences.
Selena’s “Como La Flor” was, for sure, the clearest example of this. San Antonio does love their cumbia.
Hearing “Santee Alley” live was another great moment for me. It was the first song I ever heard from LA LOM, and I instantly connected with their sound. It brought me back to the feeling I had discussed with Zac about how their music can transport me to Los Angeles, even though I’ve never set foot in the city. Their ability to move naturally from one sound to another while keeping the crowd on their toes, both literally and figuratively, was incredible to watch.
After LA LOM’s set, it was time for Thee Sacred Souls to bring their signature soul sound to the stage. Every time I’ve seen them, they seem to find a way to give me something new to appreciate. Part of that comes from how comfortable they look onstage and how naturally they adapt to whatever space they’re performing in.
I saw that most clearly when Josh had his signature moment of running into the crowd and around the venue. He has somehow done it every time I’ve seen them perform, and it’s still just as exciting to watch.
Their set included fan favorites like “Will I See You Again?,” “Easier Said Than Done,” “Lady Love,” and “Weak for Your Love.” But the moments leading into “On My Mind” really stuck with me.
Josh introduced the song by talking about how crazy life can be, with all of us experiencing the good and the bad simultaneously, both individually and as a community. He spoke about how blessed we are that we get to experience these moments every day.
Right there, I took a moment to look around and take in the blessings he was talking about. I saw fans both young and old, couples dancing together, groups of friends enjoying the show, and people simply vibing out on their own. Everyone was experiencing the music in their own way, but we were all sharing the same moment.
I felt that connection most strongly during the encore with ‘Can I Call You Rose?” The song received one of the biggest reactions of the night, and the crowd recognized it almost immediately. Everyone sang along, turning the final moments of the show into one last shared experience between the band and the San Antonio crowd.
I came into this night with a lot that was familiar to me and a lot that wasn’t, and I think that was part of the beauty of this tour. I got a brief glimpse of the Womack Sisters, experienced different musical traditions coming together in LA LOM’s set, and was reminded of how powerful music can be through Thee Sacred Souls.
For one night at Freeman Coliseum, all of these different sounds, people, and experiences shared the same space. I’m glad I got to be a part of it.
