It’s been a while since I’ve experienced a tour package with this much stage presence. Opening the night with its haunting pop melodies, Flora Cash asked the audience to open their minds to a moody moment. Soft spoken and calming, the duo played off each other’s energies while simultaneously honing their own. Blues and pinks brightened the faces of the crowd to the indie folk dyad. Performing songs like new single “Missing Home” and hit song “Somebody Else,” Flora Cash were the sweet beginning to a delightful evening.
As anticipation peaked, the house lights went dark and the curtain-covered stage began to glow. Silhouettes of the Nashville-ensemble flashed as shadows onto the crowd and reflected in the eyes of those lining the front row. The band’s introduction was sound tracked by the same introduction to its early 2019 release, Pep Talks. The curtain eventually fell, and the fans intensified as the group transitioned into “Quarter-Life Crisis.” It all felt like coming home as vocalist Judah confessed that Grand Rapids was one of the first out-of-state places they’ve ever played. The night continued with a nostalgic theme as the band covered “All the Small Things,” made famous by Blink-182, adding in its usual southern flare.
The 5-piece performing ensemble continued through its whopping 20-song set making sure to lift anyone up who felt down. The atmosphere was inclusive as individuality was praised and accepted. The group’s third LP was a deeper dive into personal emotion and familial struggle. As the Judah & the Lion’s sound evolved into genre-melting anthemic pop, they still found a way to remain their dorky, honest selves with songs like “GoofBallerz” and “Don’t Mess with My Mama.” The climax of the show occurred during the moving performance of “Family / Best Is Yet to Come,” which is the sincerest and most groundbreaking tune off the new release. The message of family was spread throughout the evening which brought the room of strangers just that much closer.
A few songs and a costume change later, the band had neared the end of its short time at 20 Monroe Live. The encore began with commanding “Let Go,” a marching band-esque ditty including an echoing choral chant. Two songs later and the group played the familiar notes of mega-hit, “Take It All Back.” Filled with the feeling that everything will be okay, the audience left the venue with a sense of hope and aspiration for the future. Not only was the show therapeutic, it was a universal pep talk.
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Flora Cash
Juda and the Lion
By: Veronica Anderson | Exclusively for @Music, Why Not!
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