Concert Review: St. Paul & The Broken Bones at The Alabama Theatre

For the first time in six years, St. Paul & The Broken Bones grace the stage of the 95 year old theatre. The Birmingham natives are currently touring in support of their fourth studio album, The Alien Coast.

Last time the band played in Birmingham was for a two night run of sold out shows at Saturn last October. These were make-up shows, initially scheduled for July 2021, Paul was unable to perform that night so the band performed an instrumental set in his stead. The band has also recently performed at Avondale Brewing Company as well as a live stream show from The Alabama.

Locals Resort Realism kicked off the night with their instrumental psych-jazz fusion. These guys were certainly no strangers to fans of The Broken Bones, as the group opened for the band during their show at Saturn last summer and one of two make-up shows in October. Their moody music, highlighted by synths and saxophone, was a great start to the night.

Soulful. Rocking. Fierce. These are just a couple of words to describe this band. The octet is truly a coming of greats, with some absolutely masterful musicians. The band is comprised of Jesse Phillips (bass), Browan Lollar (guitar), Kevin Leon (drums), Al Gamble (keys, vocals), Allen Branstetter (trumpet, guitar), Amari Ansari (saxophone, synth), Chad Fisher (trombone, keys), and the saint himself, Paul Janeway (vocals).

It is hard to choose a good place to start when talking about this performance. Do I start with the perfectly balanced drumming on "Popcorn Ceiling?" Or do I talk about the grooving bass from Phillips throughout the whole show? Do I talked about Janeway's theatrics, running throughout the entire theatre and even up into the balcony? Should I begin with the standing ovation the band received after "Grass Is Greener?" It is impossible to choose. Front to back St. Paul & The Broken Bones killed it.

Paul Janeway's vocal ability is virtually unmatched. The range that this man has in impeccable, from massive high pitched belts down to calm, quiet whimpers. The band even brought out a couch for Janeway to lay down on while singing "Love Letter From A Red Roof Inn." He can sing better than most while lying flat on his back. All the while you have The Broken Bones absolutely crushing it. Not only did the audience get a trumpet solo, they also got a saxophone solo, and a trombone solo. Lollar consistently shredded on guitar with Gamble right behind him tearing up the keys. The music was incredible.

Only St. Paul & The Broken Bones can make a nearly two hour long set feel short. Twenty songs across an hour and forty-five minutes is an impressive feat. The set featured a ten minute long jam session titled "Walk Monster" as well as the live debut of a new, unreleased, song called "Tarvos." Without a doubt "Apollo" and "Call Me" were easy favorites, but man if "The Last Dance" didn't get you moving something is terribly wrong.

          1. Atlas

          2. 3000 AD Mass

          3. The Last Dance

          4. Flow with It (You Got Me Feeling Like)

          5. Minotaur

          6. Sanctify

          7. Walk Monster 

          8. Hunter And His Hounds

          9. Like a Might River

          10. Broken Bones and Pocket Change

          11. Half the City

          12. Love Letter From A Red Roof Inn

          13. LivWithoutU

          14. Got It Bad

          15. Grass Is Greener

          16. Apollo

          -

          17. Popcorn Ceiling

          18. Tarvos

          19. Convex

          20. Call Me

St. Paul & The Broken Bones have a few days off before their tour resumes on Thursday. The band has a run of shows out west before returning home to Alabama for The First Waltz, a massive show celebrating the opening of the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville. Afterwards, the band joins Fitz & The Tantrums for a co-headlining tour across the states.

          4/21 Dallas, TX — Granada Theater*

          4/22 Houston, TX — House of Blues*

          4/23 Dallas, TX — Granada Theater* (SOLD OUT)

          4/24 Austin, TX — Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater*

          4/26 Tulsa, OK — Cain's Ballroom*

          4/28 Denver, CO — The Mission Ballroom*

          4/29 Aspen, CO — Belly Up*

          4/30 Salt Lake City, UT — The Commonwealth Room* (SOLD OUT)

          5/02 Seattle, WA — Neptune Theatre*

          5/03 Seattle, WA — Neptune Theatre* (SOLD OUT)

          5/05 Portland, OR — Crystal Ballroom*

          5/06 Oakland, CA — Fox Theater*

          5/07 San Diego, CA — Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay* (SOLD OUT)

          5/10 Los Angeles, CA — The Theatre at Ace Hotel*

          5/11 Pioneertown, CA — Pappy & Harriet's*

          5/12 Phoenix, AZ — The Van Buren*

          5/14 Huntsville, AL — The Orion Amphitheater (The First Waltz)

          6/01 Asheville, NC — Rabbit Rabbit^~

          6/03 Nashville, TN — Ascend Amphitheater^~

          6/04 Wilmington, NC — Riverfront Park Amphitheater^~

          6/05 Doswell, VA — The Meadow Event Park^~

          6/07 Shelburne, VT — Shelburne Museum^~

          6/08 Portland, ME — Thompson's Point Outdoor Concerts and Events^~

          6/10 New Haven, CT — Westville Music Bowl^~

          6/11 Asbury Park, NJ — Stone Pony Summer Stage^~

          6/12 Bethlehem, PA — Levitt Pavillion SteelStacks^~

          6/14 Canadaigua, NY — CMAC^+

          6/15 Cleveland, OH — Jacobs Pavillion at Nautica^+

          6/17 Kettering, OH — Fraze Pavillion^+

          6/18 Indianapolis, IN — TCU Amphitheatre at White River State Park^+

          6/19 Grand Rapids, MI — Frederik Meijer Gardens^

          6/21 Kansas City, MO — Grinders KC^+

          6/23 Rogers, AZ — Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion^+

          6/24 Des Moines, IA — Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park^+

          6/25 Council Bluffs, IA — Harrah's Council Bluffs Hotel & Casino^+

          7/12  Detroit, MI — St. Andrew's Hall=

          7/13 Chicago, IL — Thalia Hall=

          7/14 Chicago, IL — Thalia Hall=

          7/20 Berlin, DE — Kesselhaus

          7/21 The Hague, NL — Zuiderpark Live

          7/22 Paris, FR — Bataclan

          7/24 Amsterdam, NL — Paradiso

          7/26 Leeds, GB — Brundell Social Club

          7/28 London, GB — Electric Ballroom

          7/29 Bristol, GB — O2 Academy

          7/31 Cambridge, GB — Cambridge Folk Festival 2022

          8/02 Glasgow, GB — Old Fruitmarket

          8/05 Billing, MT — Magic City Blues Festival 2022

          8/13 Victoria, BC — Phillips At The Backyard (Implosion Explosion)

          8/25 St. Louis, MT — The Pageant

          8/26 Bridgeview, IL — Sacred Rose Festival 2022

          8/27 Minneapolis, MN — The Palace Theatre

          9/15 Fredericton, NB — Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival 2022

          9/18 Huddleston, VA — Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival 2022

          9/22 Knoxville, TN — Tennessee Theatre

          9/23 Chattanooga, TN — The Signal

          9/30 Dana Point, CA — Ohana Fest 2022

          10/13 Charleston, SC — Charleston Music Hall

          * with Danielle Ponder

          ^ co-headline with Fitz & The Tantrums

          ~ with Seratones

          + with Devon Gilfillian

          = with Wyatt Wadddell

Go see St. Paul & The Broken Bones live, you won't regret it. These Alabama musicians are top notch, from performance to musicianship. Without a doubt they have cemented themselves as one of the best acts to come out of the state in recent years, if not ever. Even if the lead singer (and subsequently band) is named after the former coach of one of Auburn's greatest rivals...