It’s always interesting to be a part of a live taping- anything could wind up immortalized in the recording. Everything from crowd sound to venue antics, happy little accidents that add texture, are a part of the process. Tonight, however, the main goal of this event is for beloved local rock act Saint Social to get a killer recording. While a packed house waited in the main hall, I took a minute to speak to Justin and Quinn from the band about the show and the tour that led up to it.
“For us it’s really cool to record this here, at The Sanctuary.” Says Quinn. “We did a run of pop-up shows called ‘The Road to the Sanctuary’ to promote this show. We really care about connecting with people, so we wanted to do shows that were connecting so that it weasn’t just a sales pitch. We really want to see people come together, in a world where things are so divided right now and so many people are fighting. We wanted something we can all bring people together with and that’s music, and we believe love has the final say.”
“These songs are for the coast,” Says Justin. “Biloxi is where we grew up. We’re all from here, and we wanted to capture a little bit of the sound of the coast with some outer coastal inspiration as well. We love bands like U2, The Killers, Coldplay- you’ll hear some of that in our music. But really, this is what we feel like home sounds like. That’s what we really try to put in the room. It’s a party.”
The pre-show vibes are immaculate, as the band gears up to put on the show they’ve been building up to for weeks. Their instruments tuned, their voices warmed up, and the energy at an all time high- especially out in the main hall where the crowd waits for them with excited anticipation. Still, even minutes before it’s time to go on stage the band has time to give a message of unity to the local music scene that helped them find their footing.
“We want to encourage folks to support local artists,” Says Justin. “Just go to shows and show up, or follow bands on socials. That’s a way to support.”
“We believe there’s incredible music coming out of the Gulf Coast and we want to announce it.” Agrees Quinn. “We want to be part of shouting it from the rooftops. There are so many other bands that deserve to be heard and deserve for the coast to get behind them. We feel grateful that our home has embraced us. We’re so grateful that Mississippi, our home, has called us its own.”
As my time with the band came to a close, and the moment of them taking the stage closed in, I found my seat in the front row with a new sense of appreciation for Saint Social and what they represented. Finally, they appeared on stage and the music began and washed over the crowd like a cleansing wave. Their lyricism is romantic and inspiring, with a mix of high energy and soft rock tones creating a very danceable sound that the entire crowd quickly got in to. The recording appeared to go off without a hitch, and by the time it was done I was certain I had witnessed one of the finest shows I would see this year.
Saint Social’s music can be found on all major streaming platforms, and they are definitely worth a follow on your favorite social media. More than anything, make sure you get out and see this band at your next opportunity. You will not regret it.
