Judah & the Lion perform ‘Back’s Against the Wall’

Judah & the Lion perform “Back’s Against the Wall” at Second Story Garage music video studio in Boulder, Colorado.

The members of Judah & the Lion have very different backgrounds, and maybe that’s why their music has such broad appeal. That appeal is growing exponentially since they visited Second Story Garage. In fact, they will appear on “The Late Show With David Letterman” on Friday, Feb. 20, 2015.

Frontman Judah Akers is the Tennessee-raised southerner. Brian Brian Macdonald on mandolin is the city-savvy Chicagoan. And Nate Zuercher on banjo is the bearded Coloradan. Were it not for music, they might not have connected, but through their music they’re connecting with audiences well beyond their Nashville base.

The band’s catalog includes two EPs, First Fruits and Sweet Tennessee, and their first full-length release, 2014’s Kids These Days. The latter is an expression of the band’s youthful energy at the beginning of their joint musical adventure. “We wanted people to be able to dance to these songs and have a freshness about them that made them lasting,” Akers has said. “Honestly, we just love life and love people and hope that comes through.”

When they came to the Garage, the core trio was rounded out for live performance by the addition of Daniel Weatherby on keys, Dylan Oglesby on accordion and Spencer Cross on drums. They kicked off their set with the anthemic, lyrically inventive “Kickin’ Da Leaves.” This is a fun one to sing along with, but it takes some effort to get the repeated words of the verses right. It’s rewarding if you can do it, and it’ll impress your friends. They also played “Scared” and “Back’s Against the Wall.” After the set, they discussed their music in a conversation with Quentin.

What they brought us: A copy of a CD, “Lion Within” by Session Rockers, which was given to Judah & the Lion by the Session Rockers themselves.

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