Beyond The Stage Magazine
Beyond The Stage Magazine
Saint Motel performs onstage at The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco
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PHOTOS: Saint Motel – San Francisco, CA – 3/6/20

Dana Jacobs

Indie pop veterans Saint Motel brought their Motion Picture Show tour to The Regency Ballroom at the beginning of last month. Looking back, the show seems like it was a lifetime ago. No worries of venue shutdowns or tour cancellations, just the unfiltered joy of live music. So let’s reminisce for a minute about a time when concerts still existed.

Saint Motel have been active since 2007, and in that time have garnered extensive critical and popular acclaim. Fans have clearly stuck with the band throughout their tenure. One look at the San Francisco audience showed a crowd of all ages. Families with young children, teenagers and young adults, and couples well into their 60s, all populated the two-story venue. Their enthusiasm was apparent from the moment the band stepped onstage.

Just Our Type

With two film school graduates in their roster, including lead singer A/J Jackson, Saint Motel takes immense pride in their live visuals. This tour was no different. Titled Motion Picture Show tour, the show takes the audience through a cinematic experience. Because the band has a now rescheduled European tour leg we won’t give too much away, but there may just be some crowd-surfing and costume changes involved.

The night felt more like a party between 700 or so friends than just a concert. Jackson frequently engaged with the crowd, at one point joining the floor and running up to the balcony. It is not an exaggeration to say the second floor was shaking as Jackson led them in jumping to the beat. Beyond past hits like “My Type” and “Move,” Saint Motel included performances off their latest EP. Deliciously retro “Sisters” and “Van Horn” were particular crowd-pleasers. Openers KOLARS even joined for a cover of Sufjan Stevens’s “Chicago”.

Even in these uncertain times, Saint Motel has a lot to look forward to. A new EP is on the horizon, and (as of now), their slot at the Sonoma Music Festival is still on. And it can’t come soon enough.

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Dana Jacobs
djacobs@beyondthestagemagazine.com
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Dana Jacobs

Dana Jacobs has been a contributing photographer for Beyond the Stage since 2019. As a current physical therapy graduate student, photography is her preferred way to maintain sanity between classes and exams. When she's not studying or shooting a live show, Dana can be found listening to true crime podcasts and petting the nearest pup. Her favorite bands include Bastille, Panic! at the Disco, and The 1975.