Five years ago, four musicians from far-flung American locales found themselves attending college together in Tennessee and comparing notes on the kinds of music they each loved. And while the artists’ sonic interests were fairly disparate — Folk, Rock, Pop, Hip Hop — they concluded that the best course of action for the fledgling band they were creating wouldn’t be to pursue one style of music, but instead to invent a style out of the raw elements of their checkered listening history.
Against all logical odds, guitarist/vocalist Judah Akers, mandolinist Brian Macdonald, banjo master Nate Zuercher and drummer Spencer Cross found the common philosophical ground where their varied interests could not only coexist but also thrive and evolve, resulting in the eclectic and much beloved Judah & the Lion. Read more about the group in this week’s Sound Advice.
Judah & the Lion performs Wednesday with The Saint Johns at 20th Century Theater. More info/tickets:
20thcenturytheatre.com .
This article appears in Mar 23-30, 2016.