Written and Photos by Chloe Diehl
Back in my high school freshman era, I braved my first year of Chinese class alongside a kid everyone dubbed “Taegen.” Taegen possessed this effortless, cool-cat aura. He was wildly friendly and effortlessly rocked a silver-dyed buzz cut. By comparison, my delightfully square goody-two-shoes self didn't boast nearly as much swagger or street cred.
Over four years of high school high jinks, I watched Taegen morph into the musical persona “Love Spells” and unleash tracks that racked up serious stream counts on Spotify. Case in point: “Come Over and Love Me.” Accustomed to semi-decent SoundCloud rappers and clunky garage bands, I found it positively spellbinding to hear a classmate craft something so sweetly sensual in a genre all his own. As a Houstonian, I never expected a local talent to spin ethereal love lullabies in a city ruled by heavy Hip Hop and roaring Rock.
Orca kicked off the night for his grand homecoming gig. This swoon-worthy duo out of San Antonio delivered an utterly enchanting set. In past gigs at White Oak Music Hall, the openers rarely stuck out. I usually assume the sound mix for introductory acts is muffled, making it hard to parse the tunes. However, this duo was a stellar exception. Their sound hits that lush, dream-pop sweet spot reminiscent of Clairo’s Charm album. Very whimsical love ballads layered over soft, syrupy instrumentals. It was the ultimate, vibe-heavy warm-up for Love Spells.
When the main act rolled around, Love Spells strutted onto the stage draped in full retro-glam 80s flair: black cowboy boots, aviator shades, a worn leather jacket, a fishnet top, and bootcut jeans. He counted the band into “Lovers Only,” standing cool as he casually hit every sky-high note in his mesmerizing, Prince-esque falsetto. Midway through the track, he tossed the mic aside, hyped up each band member, and grooved to their riffs.
Though much of Love Spells’ discography is slow-burn, he kept the room buzzing with electric energy and a strong set list that evenly mixed dreamy slow dances with upbeat bangers.
The energy peaked when Houston City Council Member Alejandra Salinas took the stage to announce a historic milestone for young Houstonians. She officially declared September 16th as “Love Spells Day.”
Standing front-row in the thick of the crowd, writing a concert review for a former classmate felt like a wonderfully surreal full-circle moment. Watching his infectious energy as he danced alongside his bandmates and charmed the audience was his pure, authentic self. It was heartening to see that all the virality hadn't diminished the person I once shared a class with.