Concert Review: Judah and the Lion Return to Toronto with an Emotional and Unforgettable Performance

24 minutes ago

2 min read

After seven years away from Toronto, Judah and the Lion returned with a performance that reminded everyone just how unique their sound and stage presence really are. But before the headliners took over, the crowd was treated to two solid performances that brought plenty of energy of their own.

Band of Silver, a band of siblings that brought a high-energy performance that made full use of the stage. Between their crowd interaction, song introductions, and the personal stories behind their music, they gave the audience more than just a set of songs. Their writing touches on struggles and chronic illness, bringing a personal side to their music that gives it even more to relate to.

Chlorine, a local band from Toronto kept that momentum going with a solid rock sound and fantastic crowd engagement. Cheers and chants carried throughout the set, and the keyboard player was next-level entertainment, bringing an element to the performance that was hard to ignore. It was a great response from the crowd and a strong performance from a band that clearly knows how to connect with an audience.

Then came Judah and the Lion. Opening with "Prism", the band took a slower approach, where Judah sat center stage and Brian and his mandoline just behind, making the moment incredibly stripped down and raw, before the rest of the band joined the stage midway through when the tempo picked up. Their combination of mandolin, fiddle, and raw vocals creates a sound that stands apart from the usual, blending folk influences with an alternative hip hope rock edge that feels entirely their own.

The atmosphere throughout the venue was incredible, but one of the most memorable moments came when the band brought things down, meeting together at centre stage for an acoustic song. With the entire venue lit up, it felt like we were all a part of that portion of the performance.

As the night was coming to an end, Judah took a moment of gratitude, as he reflected on the journey that brought them back to Toronto and the people who have continued to support them along the way. He then began to share about their process of song writing, explaining the range of emotions and experiences that went into creating iteach song and how different each one is, before talking specifically about "As the Crow", a song written for his young cousin who had passed. As Judah began to sing, you couldn't just feel the emotions in the song but also hear them.

Judah and The Lion have been one of those bands that cycle through the playlists, but after experiencing their live show, I will be keeping an eye out and being sure to see them on their next run through the city - hopefully it won't take another seven years.