Photo of Judah Akers of Judah & the Lion by Pariss Brown
Concerts are an experience made up of different parts—the music is only a part of it. The lights, the venue, the staff, the crowd are also all parts of it. While an artist can’t control (or inhibit) many of those factors, there are always certain artists where the room feels peaceful. Even if it’s loud, bright, and busy, there is still a base feeling of calm and connection throughout the room. Everything feels harmonious. I do often find this environment correlated with artists whose platform is very honest and raw, and I feel that was a big reason for the good vibes in this room.
Another big vibe setter: the openers. It’s always a little disheartening when people are turned off by the opener or talking over them. kylekelly and Carriers didn’t have that issue and I’m going to bring the term harmonious around again. The openers for this show were chosen well. It was like Judah & the Lion’s team pulled artists from the genres they take inspiration from, so it was like appetizers to their music. If you liked their music, you would probably vibe with these guys. They were right, we did indeed vibe.
kylekelly is an alt-pop teenage heartthrob. He’s reminiscent of the boy band era of the later 2000s that included One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer. His discography visually looks like Olivia Rodrigo’s-all lowercase gen z cheeky song titles. His live set is more acoustic forward than his recordings, and it gives it a more intimate feel than the boy band genre usually can. His songs are boppy with catchy lyrics that have some clever lines if you catch them.
Carriers were next on the opening lineup. They favored a dreamier americana/alt/folk type feel—they utilize a steel guitar and synth but there is always an acoustic guitar present. My notes actually say to compliment the guy in the back left wing hiding with the steel guitar-sir, hats off to you. If kylekelly was cheese dip, these guys were nachos. Their sound was layered with guitar riffs and piano that really added depth. I really enjoyed how interactive and chatty the lead singer Curt Kiser was and I feel like that was another good leadup to J&TL, who are also very interactive.
Judah & the Lion came out quietly. Judah Akers sat cross-legged on the front of the stage, his hair coming untucked from behind his ears as he rocked and sang their gentle mandolin-led song “Prism”:
“I thought I was a mirror, always looking back,
Thought I was my shadow, always losing track,
Thought I was my future, thought I was my past,
Thought I was my mom, thought I was my dad”
Everything about this show feels very intentional, from the setlist order to the incredible visuals. Judah opening with that song set the intention—he was eye to eye with the audience. He was gentle and warm and was communicating to the audience they were in a place of deep mutual reverence. I could tell this carefully curated energy was prioritized from the beginning of their career because of the audience—they were enamored. Merch was everywhere. Generations of families stood together—little kids stood excitedly gripping their parent’s hands or peering through the crowd on shoulders. I honestly felt a little warm when he described STL as “knowing how to party, but being deep feelers” because you know what, hell yeah. I was proud of the energy in that room.
Judah & the Lion is “yell, stomp, clap” music as opposed to just “stomp and clap.” There is raw spoken word lyrics combined with layers of sound that have electronic support and backing. There are no acoustic guitars on stage, but the mandolin is a star player. The utilized loop tracks give it an ethereal synthy feel, while carefully curated lighting and visuals flood your vision. Some of the songs are punchy and bursting with joy that had Akers leaping and spinning onstage. He laughed while prism rainbows floated overhead and dot style comic cakes flashed onscreen. The entire thing is flashy and trippy without being overwhelming. I could see why kids and adults alike were enjoying themselves. The band brought Kiser out for “Powerless,” and it was a really great choice. They brought out the banjo and everyone’s vocals really shown.
At one point, Akers said that they were relatively new on this tour, this was only their fifth show, and they were still getting back into touring. I thought that again just really spoke to their stage presence and how they captivate a room. They are so at ease and full of joy. I love artists that love their audiences. These guys have created a community around them-and it’s worth joining at least once. | Pariss Brown
Setlist:
Prism
Gut Punch
Over My Head
Just Enjoy the Ride
Take It All Back
Win or Go Home
Why Did You Run?
Powerless
As The Crow
Suit and Jacket
Floating in the Night
Revival
Best Is Yet to Come
Maybe the Best Is Now
My Own Worst Enemy (Lit cover)
Miracle
Spirit
Gravel Roads
Encore:
Can You Relate?
sportz
Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry cover)
