Judah & the Lion Captivated Fans Tuesday Night at The Pageant in St. Louis
— by Carrie Zukoski
The Nashville-based alternative/indie duo Judah & the Lion brought the The Boys Are Back tour in support of their I AM A PRISM August album release to The Pageant in St. Louis Tuesday night to adoring fans of all ages.
But first, Kyle Kelly, who stylizes his name as kylekelly, kicked the night off with a just shy of a 30-minute set of his alt-pop rock songs to the growing crowd. The relative newcomer, who hails from New Jersey, was backed by a drummer and guitarist and sang several of his bright, raw, pop-infused tunes that could easily fit in any new rom-com. Partway through, he asked how many had heard of him. With only a few responses, he joked, “Well, you’ll know this next song,” as he covered Coldplay’s “Yellow.” His last two songs, “it always ends the same” and “my little heart <3,” had people grooving on the floor.
Cincinnati-based Carriers, aka Curt Kiser and touring musicians, performed in the second slot for about a 45-minute set. On the last night on tour with Judah & the Lion, their set was briefly interrupted during the gentle, swirling “Sometimes” due to a person fainting (they got up on their own). We do hope they’re now feeling much better. They also performed the dreamy, indie-rock “Blurry Eyes.” Kiser shared memories about coming to St. Louis to find a drummer, as he was once told, “The best drummers come from St. Louis.” He also shared that he’s played at Off Broadway and Evolution Festival, and he was happy to be at The Pageant, as the drummer he’d found told him he’d seen many of his favorite shows at this venue.
Last but not least, came Judah & the Lion on the fifth night of their 38-city tour. With a large, colorful prism projected on a backdrop, Brian Macdonald strode onto the darkened stage, silhouetted, plucking bright chords on the mandolin. Moments later, Judah Akers came on stage, sitting front and center, as his soaring vocals on “Prism” engulfed the venue. The powerful, anthem-like song from I AM A PRISM had fans in a frenzy, and the energy continued to increase. Donning a matching tracksuit, Akers spun and jumped around as they slid into the spiritual-like “Gut Punch.“ Fan favorites included the folk-tinged, peppy “Take it All Back,” “Suit and Jacket,” and “Why Did You Run?” Kiser joined them on stage during the poignant “Powerless.”
About halfway through their set, Akers said he felt a connection with St. Louis fans: “You know how to party, but you’re also deep feelers. I feel like our music belongs in St. Louis.” As he introduced the next song, “As the Crow,” he shared, “This song is meaningful to us. It’s a song about my young cousin. It’s still emotional to sing it.” During the vulnerable, raw ballad, the entire crowd stood stock still, and not one word was uttered. It was truly a powerful moment for everyone in the room. Knowing not to keep the vibe too low, the lads picked it back up with their “Americana meets electronic beat” genre of tunes.
Judah & the Lion songs ebb and flow, grabbing hold of your heart, taking you up, up, up, and eventually gently bringing you back to earth at the right moment. It was good to see the boys are back and better than ever.
See all photos from their St. Louis concert here.
