Indie-pop band Saint Motel embarked on their ‘Symphony in the Sky’ tour, with the first stop being at Houston’s very own House of Blues.
Most recently, well-known indie pop band Saint Motel released their latest album titled Saint Motel & the Symphony in the Sky. This was followed by the release of their three-part EP turned album titled The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which was found with critical acclaim. Those might know the band from their first full-length album titled Voyeur, or their extremely successful album Saintmotelevision. Saint Motel was featured in the soundtrack of the John Green adaptation Paper Towns, where their song ‘My Type’ became one of the best well-known dance tracks in 2016.
Saint Motel last stopped by Houston on their ‘Motion Picture Show’ back in February 2020, before everything shut down due to the COVID pandemic. Once things returned to normal, the band went on numerous tours and made multiple festival appearances, all avoiding the Houston area. Now, not only did they announce their new tour for Symphony in the Sky, but Houston was set to be the first stop. Everyone came to the show blind, not knowing what to expect. The stage was adorned with a beautiful set similar to the one featured on the album cover, with music stands and violin bows all over the place.
The set was riddled with fun and orchestral renditions of their songs, including “Puzzle Pieces” and “Cold Cold Man.” Saint Motel also performed “For Elise,” which started off with a fifth of Beethoven. The night was also met with multiple live debuts, as this was the first stop of the tour. Live debut included “Life’s a Gas” and “Steady Hand.” Lead singer A.J. Jackson even put on a pair of wings during the live debut of “Hold My Place in Heaven.”
“It’s been a while since we’ve played in Houston…” – exclaimed singer A.J. – “but every time we play here, it just gets better and better.” The first portion of the set ended “Cold Cold Man.” During the encore, A.J appeared in the House of Blues balcony to explain the importance of the last album, before walking through the balcony to the track of “A Bluer Blue.”
A.J urged fans to sing during “Sweet Talk”, and everyone sang at the very top of their lungs. Everyone crowd went wild during “Van Horn” and “My Type,” two of the band’s biggest singles. Saint Motel took their final bow, and stated “Thank you, Houston and we’ll see you soon.”
Saint Motel did an amazing job at providing an entertaining set that pertained to their latest album’s ambiance. Houston has been waiting for a show since 2020, and their comeback to the Space City surpassed expectations. The setlist includes something for everyone, from the golden oldies to some of their newer standout tracks. From the multiple interactions with fans to the props used on stage, Saint Motel’s ‘Symphony in the Sky’ tour is one worth catching.
I'm a full-time music journalist/photographer from Houston, number one Paramore fan and Husky dog owner. I have a B.S in Radio-Television-Film from UT Austin and a M.A in Mass Communications from the University of Houston, which makes me smart! On top of being an avid concert-goer and movie fanatic, I love bonding with others over the power of local music and media.
