Kaleo w/ Judah And The Lion
Showbox, Seattle, WA
04.07.17

The first show sold out so fast that Showbox had to line up a second night. That one sold out too. So here was Kaleo, midway through their epic Handprint Tour, for the first of two sold-out nights, transporting Seattle fans. Where to? Somewhere between Texas and Iceland, tumbleweeds and folk-rock falsettos.

The genre-bending Judah And The Lion opened the show, immediately pushing the crowd to echo their unbridled energy, which they gladly did. Their blend of folk, rock, and hip-hop is a unique mashup that showcases everything from authentic fiddling to electric banjo, while frontman Judah Akers takes performance liberties, jumping all over the stage.

There were synchronized dance moves to a cover of T-Pain’s “Booty Wurk (One Cheek At A Time),” and impressive multi-part harmonies throughout. The packed house enthusiastically sang along with “Going To Mars” and a cover of The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” before the band ended with their hit single “Take It All Back,” leaving the audience sweating and ready for the headliner.

The stage was cleared, the room darkened, fog billowed across the front row of rabid fans. And then there was JJ Julius Son’s voice: warm, raspy, and reaching for great heights. The frontman of this Austin-via-Iceland band was clearly a draw, especially for the ladies in the crowd, his dark and brooding stage presence getting them a bit hot and bothered.

But that didn’t mean they weren’t also there for the music. They kicked off the set with ā€œI Canā€™t Go On Without Youā€ and Julius Son’s now-signature whistle. From there, they showed off impressive guitar work, gutsy blues-rock, and vocal solos that were jaw-droppingly good. The crowd clapped right along, stomped their feet, and yelled their appreciation loud and clear, packed literally to the edges of the room.

From full-blown rock and roll to harrowing romantic interludes, Kaleo are a band clearly zeroed in on what works, and the crowd rewarded them for their passionate pursuit.

Kaleo Set List
I Canā€™t Go On Without You
Sys
Broken Bones
Alter Ego
Pour Sugar On Me
Automobile
All The Pretty Girls
Hot Blood
No Good
Vor Ć­ VaglaskĆ³gi
Bang Bang
Backdoor
Way Down We Go
Texas
Rock N Roller

Review and photos by Stephanie Dore

Kaleo & Judah And The Lion

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