St. Paul and the Broken Bones, a powerhouse soul/funk/rock band from Alabama, filled the historic Lincoln Theatre with complete jubilation on Tuesday, March 8. In the first of two sold-out shows in the District, the octet thrilled a raucous crowd with their big sound and fiery, unbridled passion. (Dedicated DC fans were lucky to see the band at a sold-out 9:30 Club the following day. )

Touring in support of the band's recent album release, The Alien Coast, St. Paul and the Broken Bones treated the capacity crowd to a nearly-two hour set that included career-spanning material from their four albums. The group's sound is predicated on band leader/singer Paul Janeway's stunning vocal capability and backed up by a horn trio, keys, guitar and a tight rhythm section. The band captured the entire room from the start, opening with a trio of new songs – 'Atlas,' '3000 AD Mass' and 'The Last Dance' – and took everyone for a euphoric musical experience the rest of the night. 

Janeway expressed his joy of performing for a live audience again – nearly two years since the beginning of the pandemic. To our delight, the charismatic singer sauntered upstairs to join the crowd as he delivered a stunning rendition of 'Sanctify,' a bluesy ballad that seemed to stop time in its tracks. The room was abuzz from then on and the DC crowd showered the band with much deserved appreciation. 

The set continued with more show-stoppers including the soul-soaked 'Grass is Greener' and the set-closing, disco bop, 'Apollo.' After a short encore break, St. Paul and company treated us to a three-song encore, one he dedicated to a young fan on her father's shoulders attending her first concert – a night she will certainly remember forever. In fact, it was a night most of us will not forget. Don't miss St. Paul and the Broken Bones as they continue their headlining North American tour this spring.