Judah & the Lion, music’s newest phenomenon boast a rising iconic folk-pop sound, self described in their most recent album, Folk Hop N’ Roll. A record that’s built for the live stage debuted in Carrboro, NC at Cat’s Cradle and prompted a room packed full of fans to bounce in unison with the album’s uptempo beat.
Banjoist Nate Zuercher kicked off the show and entered the stage alone before inviting the band to join in on “Kickin’ da Leaves,” the track that put the quartet on the map in 2014. Right from the get-go, Judah & the Lion introduced the crowd to a genre that they have more-or-less created themselves - a bit of rock, a bit of rap and a bit of folk. It’s impossible not to jump around or at the very least sway side-to-side.
Photos by Caitlin Malson
Tracks from Folk Hop N’ Roll followed “Stockholm” and “Hippie Dance” before “All I Want Is You” turned into a cover of T-Pain’s “Booty Wurk.” The Nashville natives always gave off the impression that they could have a trick up their sleeves, but the act they unveiled flew in out of left field. Judah & the Lion channeled their inner Beyonce or Nicki Minaj with a booty poppin’ dance that elicited as much applause as it did chuckles.
Judah & the Lion’s free-flowing attitude shined brighter once they welcomed openers The Lonely Biscuits to the stage for a collaborative cover of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Can I Kick It?” If those unfamiliar with Judah & the Lion didn’t understand that the bands arms reach into numerous genres, they did now.
The band was all about fun and Judah Akers (lead vocals) refused to let anyone leave without being entertained. The lead vocalist jumped into the crowd while performing “Reputation” and infected everyone he touched with pleasure - there wasn’t a single face that didn’t show off a wide smile.
As expected, Carrboro chanted profusely the second the band left the stage and demanded an encore. Up to that point, Judah & the Lion left their renowned song “Take It All Back” in their arsenal and were bound to pull it our eventually. That time arrived late in the night and created as much exuberance as expected. After Cat’s Cradle put everything it left into “Take It All Back,” the band introduced “Water” and exhausted the audience - so much that the night concluded with one of the band’s slower, relaxing tracks “Mason-Dixon Line.”
No comments