Word and Live Photos: DJ
Myglobalmind and Screaming Digital Productions
April 15, 2025 – Huntsville, Alabama
Man, what a night. Judah and the Lion hit Huntsville’s Mars Music Hall yesterday and straight-up owned the place. Feels weirdly perfect that a band with a song called “Going to Mars” played at a spot named after the red planet, right in the heart of Rocket City.
If you’ve never caught these Nashville guys live before, you’re missing out. They’ve been mixing folk, hip-hop, and rock since 2013, throwing banjos and mandolins in with beats that make you want to jump around like a maniac. It’s weird on paper but works like magic on stage.
They kicked things off with “Spirit,” which started all moody before blowing up into something huge. From there they ripped into “Heartbreak Syndrome,” and the crowd lost their minds. Frontman Judah Akers was bouncing all over the stage like he’d chugged ten Red Bulls before showtime, but somehow still nailed every note.
“Quarter-Life Crisis” hit different live. That song’s basically about freaking out about your life choices, and judging by how loud everyone screamed the lyrics back, seems like we’re all in the same boat.
The middle of the set had some serious highlights. Brian Macdonald’s mandolin work during “Floating in the Night” was ridiculous – dude’s fingers were flying. “scream!” and “Over My Head” turned the whole place into what felt like a sweaty group therapy session, with everyone yelling out their frustrations together.
Then came the covers that nobody saw coming. They turned Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy” into this banjo-heavy banger that somehow worked perfectly. But the real surprise was their take on Lil Jon’s “Snap Yo Fingers” – absolutely bonkers and totally awesome, even the crunk part.
The emotional gut-punch came with “As the Crow Flies” and “Only Want the Best” – you could feel the raw honesty hitting everyone in the room. They teased us with just a taste of “Revival” before launching into “Long Dark Night” and the gloriously defiant “Alright (frick it!)” which had the whole crowd middle-fingering their problems.
Near the end, they played snippets of “Going to Mars” and “Help Me To Feel Again” before dropping their biggest hit, “Take It All Back.” That song blew up for them back in 2016, and it still holds up – mandolin, banjo, and all that foot-stomping energy that first put them on the map.
For the encore, they came back with “Maybe the Best Is Now” – a reminder to quit obsessing over the past or future and just be here now. They closed with “sportz,” sending everyone home drenched in sweat with ringing ears and big stupid grins.
What makes these guys special is how they just don’t care about genre rules. In a time when everyone’s arguing about what box artists fit into, Judah and the Lion are busy smashing those boxes to bits. They mix folk instruments with hip-hop beats and rock energy in a way that feels natural, not forced or gimmicky.
Walking out of Mars Music Hall looking up at the night sky, it hit me that this band is still climbing higher and taking us all along for the ride. If they come to your town, drop whatever you’re doing and go. Your ears might be ringing the next day, but your soul will thank you.
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