With their latest record, Norther, in tow, Shane Smith & The Saints have continued their tour in support of the new album into 2025. The Austin country crew recently stopped in Michigan, playing to a packed, energetic house at Royal Oak Music Theatre. Here are five moments that stood out from the show:
A Dramatic Entrance
Taking the stage shrouded in darkness, Shane Smith & The Saints announced their arrival with a dramatic instrumental opening. As the lights slowly pulsed on and off, the bandmates’ silhouettes became visible as they encircled drummer Zach Stover before shifting to second track “Adeline.” This track was the first of many showings of the strong, layered vocal harmonies of singer Shane Smith backed by guitarist Dustin Schaefer, fiddler Bennett Brown, and bassist Chase Satterwhite.
Heavenly Harmonies
The band showcased their road-tested chemistry throughout the set with their harmonies, which added different texture and emotion to their tracks. Smith’s contemplative voice shined on “Quite Like You,” with the gentle harmonies adding to the ethereal feel of the track. Meanwhile, the deeper harmonies on their cover of Levon Helm’s “Hurricane” gave a darker edge to their take.
Mid-set Variety
A strong mid-set sequence – keyed by tracks “Runaway Train,” “Dance the Night Away,” “Cocaine Habit,” and “Fire in the Ocean” – pointed to the band’s eclectic sonic palette. Jubilant folk stompers “Runaway Train” and “Dance the Night Away” got the crowd bouncing along, especially to Brown’s jaunty fiddle. The sinister “Cocaine Habit” added a darker snarl to the set. And the anthemic electric guitar toward the end of “Fire in the Ocean” added an air of rock grandeur to the cut.
Building to a Jubilant End
Energetic rocker “Heaven Knows” closed out the main portion of the set, with the band’s harmonies adding a foreboding vibe to the track’s chorus. Schaefer and Brown starred in the back half of the track, with a blistering guitar solo counterbalanced by frenetic fiddling.
After briefly departing the stage and being called back by a round of raucous cheers, the band returned for the encore, which started quietly but built to a rousing finish. First, just Smith and Satterwhite (now on keyboard) returned, delivering a hushed rendition of “All the Way” that served as a strong vocal highlight. The full band then took the stage for “What a Shame,” a slow burner that sped up in time with Stover’s accelerating drum beat that gave way to a rollicking guitar / fiddle breakdown.
Finishing With Flourish
The penultimate track, a cover of Steve Young’s “Seven Bridges Road” served as another excellent showing for the band’s powerhouse harmonies. (In this regard, it was perhaps more evocative of the Eagles’ version of this cut.) With the crowd clapping along to another fiddle solo, the energy was cranked up to bring a strong close to the evening.
Shane Smith & The Saints wrapped up the set with their smash hit “All I See Is You.” As Smith ad-libbed the “It’s like the nights in Detroit city / Where the snow fell down too soon” line, the crowd roared in approval, clapping and singing along till the very end.
