May 7, 2024
In my review of their new album (which you can find here: https://www.trexroads.com/norther-shane-smith-the-saints-2024-english/) I was clear they are my favorite band and the new songs exciting works of art that I recommended to every music lover.
I had already attended one of their concerts, on 29 August 2023 at the Bush Hall in London and I had confirmed that live they had few equals in the world.
However, what we witnessed on the night of May 7, 2024 in Morrison, Colorado goes beyond the normal administration of the Texan boys’ concerts.
Helped by the location, which is perhaps the most beautiful and well-known arena in the world, the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Shane Smith & The Saints gave those present a performance to be passed down to posterity as one of the most incredible of this place.
Those who were present at the wonderful 2023 performance (you can find it as a live album on streaming services and on vinyl) confirmed to me that this one was far superior.
I’m not saying this because it was my first time here or out of exaggerated enthusiasm: I’ve seen numerous legendary concerts (Springsteen, Deep Purple, Metallica, AC/DC….), but I couldn’t have imagined something like this.
The evening, preceded by a great Texan singer-songwriter, the great Hayes Carll, and Isaac Gibson’s wonderful band 49 Winchester, begins shortly after 8.30pm.
The night in the Colorado mountains is cold, around 39 degrees, but the sky above the heads of the lucky ones present is clear.
The band’s intro is one of the most adrenaline-filled and engaging ever heard: a hint of their The Mountain sung only by the incredible voice of Shane, and then explodes with the whole band in the legendary The Gael (taken from the soundtrack of “The Last of the Mohicans”).
The flames that light up the stage with every shot and the enthusiasm of the crowd give you goosebumps and you start jumping.
“We are Shane Smith & The Saints from Austin, Texas!” Shane shouts and the crowd goes wild.
The choice of setlist (27 pieces for almost 2 and a quarter hours!) is perfect and includes all the band’s most famous pieces.
It begins with the choir and the expressive power of Parliament Smoke.
Bennett Brown‘s violin embroiders emotions in the hearts of those present and Shane‘s voice digs into the souls. Unparalleled expressive and poetic power.
The goosebumps increase with the next Adeline, a wonderful ballad that the thousands of voices sing in unison until the explosion of Dustin Schaefer‘s magical guitar.
The pounding rhythm of Zach Stover‘s drums and Chase Satterwhite‘s bass shake the bleachers of the most beautiful natural arena in the world.
When the violin explodes in all its beauty in the wonderful solo of Book of Joe, you can’t help but notice how incredible the sound is and it feels like you’re listening to them in your living room with 10,000 people.
A song that moved me to tears live.
But it’s time to beat the beat and dance to the notes of a song from the band’s first album: the beautiful Feather in The Wind, which takes on new life live.
After announcing their summer festival in the mountains of Idaho, Shane Smith & The Saints perform the piece written during the months spent up and down between Montana and Idaho: the wonderful Mountain Girl, a special dedication to those people and to its natural beauties.
The Grey’s Between explodes its Celtic soul live and then Shane Smith‘s voice gives yet another vocal performance to remember.
What he writes comes from his heart and you can almost feel him getting emotional singing these poems.
In theory Hurricane would be a cover, a piece by Levon Helm dedicated to New Orleans and its terrible hurricanes, but the boys play it as if it were their own and make Colorado explode live.
The secret to their sound has always been Brown‘s violin and anyone who sees them live for the first time is left speechless.
The guitars and epic rhythm of Hail Mary make the red steps shake and we find ourselves singing the chorus screaming with Shane.
Who said tears? I saw more than one person get emotional near me.
There are many songs taken from the latest album Norther and now it’s the turn of It’s Been A While which, if possible, gets even more stomach-churning live with that violin that cuts through your heart like a sharp knife and the voice is distressing while he sings about wanting to go home to Texas.
You need something to dance without worries and what’s better than the “old” Dance the Night Away? We jump to the rhythm of the violin and the rhythm and with the chorus the party is served.
The title track of the band’s first album, Coast, is a trip to South Texas when only Bennett and Shane dreamed of this group and juggled the hard life on the road.
The two then leave the main stage and reappear on a small stage in the center of the bleachers to play two acoustic pieces of stunning and magical beauty: Quite Like You (one of the singer’s favorite pieces and one of the first ever written) and Little Bird.
We return to the stage with an electric and epic intro for a devastating live piece: Fire in The Sky. Fire is not only in the sky, but also in our hearts.
Just as 1,000 Wild Horses ride not only in the sky, but also in all the stands and, needless to say, Shane Smith‘s voice shines with its own light above all the mountains of Colorado.
It’s the turn of another epic piece, Navajo Norther, which live, if possible, is even more exciting: it may be the landscape around us, it may be the cold that envelops us, but guys here the air is as dense with emotions as the words of the song.
Bennett and his violin can’t get enough of upsetting the souls of those present and with Field of Heather they distribute emotions as if it were magic dust. The story told by Shane is like a dramatic film and this song is the perfect soundtrack.
Cocaine Habit is an electric shock that the violin, as always, makes unforgettable.
Tight rhythm and incisive words, one of the band’s most loved pieces live does not disappoint even among Morrison‘s mountains.
The subsequent Fire in The Ocean, in addition to being a piece of unique beauty and intensity, is also the song in which Shane asks everyone to light up the sky of Red Rocks by waving their smartphone flashes.
Who said tears of emotion? Everywhere you look there is a crazy visual glimpse, seasoned with a wonderful song.
Eyes and ears are satisfied, the heart thanks.
Sunshine Schaefer‘s fantastic guitar couldn’t wait to speed along to the notes of Heaven Knows, a rock piece with a heavy and epic pace that increases in intensity as the minutes pass.
The concert flies by and you feel like you’re in a time bubble: hours that seem like seconds.
The wonderful ballad All The Way, only Shane on vocals and Chase on piano, is also an opportunity to project family photos sent by fans onto the screens and give them a moment they will never forget.
Another round, another wonderful ballad: it’s the turn of What A Shame.
Tonight’s live version of this piece is a manifesto of what these guys’ music can do with simplicity and talent: excite you to the point of goosebumps and tears.
We all sing together and cry together, hugging each other under the Colorado sky.
Surprise number 1 is the live revival of the splendid Suzannah ride, perhaps it hadn’t been performed for more than 5 years: always nice to hear it shake hearts.
Surprises number 2 and 3 follow one another quickly: the cover of Pancho & Lefty (wonderful piece by Townes Van Zandt) performed together with the super excited Hayes Carll (who in fact misses the start) and the famous 80s piece Boys Of Summer (Don Henley) which sung with the leader of the 49 Winchester, literally explodes 10,000 people singing in unison.
The event ends with the most beautiful (for me) and famous song of the band: violin intro and it’s the turn of All I See Is You.
The perfect ending to a perfect and magical evening.
27 songs for 2 abundant hours of a beauty that I can only define as unique and stunning, like the setting in which they were performed.
The most incredible emotion I have ever experienced has come to an end, leaving us with hearts and souls full of emotion and beauty.
Now we are waiting for a live performance, because it would be a crime to leave a concert of this quality only to a video on YouTube or a poor quality MP3.
Thank you Shane Smith & The Saints.
Trex
