Review by Adeline Williams of The Song Scoop
Walking into Judah and the Lion’s headlining concert at Electric City, I had no idea what I was in for. I attempted to familiarize myself with their discography before attending the show, but nothing could have prepared me for the unforgettable experience and overall atmosphere the band creates.
Starting the evening off strong, Cornell alumni Jonah Kagen opened up the show with his cathartic folk tunes. The crowd immediately went silent when he began playing. His music makes you feel like you are at a New England coffee shop, looking out the window at a scenic view of a forest. If you are a fan of Noah Kahan, Jonah Kagen is a must-listen. There were several vocal devotees in the crowd, cheering him on after each hit song. After finishing his set, Kagen met his excited fans in the crowd. From taking selfies to signing arms, Kagen generously made the night surreal for his listeners.
The crowd’s excited buzz waiting for Judah and the Lion to walk out was nearly tangible. As soon as the folk rock band stepped on stage, they did not disappoint. Lead singer Judah Akers explained that when the band started up, they agreed that even though they are unable to control how many hit songs they have or how successful they become, they would make sure that “Judah and the Lion is the most fun show you will ever go to.” Attesting to this, the whole band had a choreographed dance break in the middle of their set; the crowd went wild. Afterwards, Akers told a humorous story about how during their dance break at another show there was a couple stagefront who were horrified by their dancing, choosing to face the other way for the rest of the set! The band had lots of singalongs, Akers pointing his microphone to the crowd so he could hear the fans belt out his impressive lyrics.
Judah and the Lion has an interesting sound, similar to 21 Pilots but with more banjo and folk aspects. The band has a quirky presence that screams rockstar. After forming the band 11 years ago, they released their fifth album this past year. Akers explained that the new record is about grief and letting go of monotonous, toxic habits. For him specifically, he vulnerably admits that he has a vicious cycle of bottling his emotions up, hurting himself in the long run. The album is a representation of him breaking free from these routines and being more open with himself.
Overall, Judah and the Lion put on an incredible set, not only blowing the crowd away with their musical ability, but with their vibrant, quirky spirit. The band was equally as impressed with the crowd. Akers told the concert attendees, “I know it’s a Wednesday but you make it feel like a Saturday!” From spinning around and dancing to singing out emotional lyrics, with phenomenal instrumentals, Judah and the Lion made their Buffalo performance an exciting, cathartic, and memorable experience for fans.
Bio– Adeline is a high school junior from Buffalo, NY. She writes about her favorite emerging artists on her blog The Song Scoop (www.thesongscoop.com). she also enjoys writing and performing her own songs and traveling to see her favorite bands. When not playing music, she teaches string instruments and gamelan (Indonesian percussion) to students at Buffalo Stringworks.
