Judah and the Lion • Colby • October 8, 2026 • The Depot
Reviewed and Photographed by Emma Mae Burtnett
Judah and the Lion filled up the Depot in Salt Lake City last night with a wide range of music all in one show. As a recent Salt Lake transplant, I have been eager to get out into the music scene here and have not been disappointed. This was my first time at The Depot, and I was pleasantly surprised. I think my favorite quality, and something I have found to be unique to the Depot, is their exterior sound system, which plays the live show’s audio out to the street. I hadn’t seen Judah and the Lion since their tour in 2019, the Pep Talks Worldwide Tour, where I saw them in Atlanta at the Coca-Cola Roxy. They brought just as much energy this time around, if not more.
It was my dad who introduced me to Judah and the Lion. My parents were huge fans when they first started gaining attention. There aren’t many other bands doing exactly what JATL is doing. Their unique folk/alternative/rock/pop sound is uniquely defining to them. As they’ve evolved, their sound has too. They’ve become more alternative-sounding on their new record.
What I remember about Judah and the Lion has always been their creativity and engagement. In 2019, I was an Atlanta high schooler, begging my parents to skip a day of school to wait in line for the show. We attended a pre-show acoustic set in an adjacent restaurant where I was able to meet Judah’s parents. They even handed out Pep Talks jerseys to fans. They have always come off as very down-to-earth people to me. When I saw them in 2019, they split the crowd to play an acoustic set in the middle of the pit. I knew to expect creativity and envelope-pushing again this time around.
Band of Silver
The evening kicked off with their first opener, Band of Silver, a band full of siblings. Two brothers and a sister creating a spunky, creative trio. Their music and stage banter detailed the vocalist’s life experience as an individual facing chronic illness. Their song, “Mind Over Matter,” was a crowd favorite. They had fantastic audience participation for a crowd that began relatively unfamiliar with their discography.
Colby
Following “Band of Silver” was a performance by upcoming pop singer, Colby! From the minute she began singing, sporting a Utah Mammoths jersey, she had the crowd engaged. Another sibling duo, this band played with confidence, technicality, and talent. Colby’s voice is one that I am sure will garner more following as she continues gaining exposure. Reminiscent of Tate McRae’s style of pop music, Colby sings with strong, smooth vocals, often talking about her relationships. I had no doubt that her following will only continue to grow stronger.
Judah and the Lion
Judah and the Lion started off the show by surprising the crowd with creativity from the get-go. They kicked off their set on The Depot balcony, high above the general admission crowd, playing a track off their newest record, “Prism” from “I AM A PRISM.” The crowd was immediately hyped up, looking up to catch a first glance at Brian and Judah. This is the exact creative move I would expect to see out of them. They continued the show down on the stage with a sheet and projector set up that I think perfectly created the atmosphere the “I AM A PRISM” album demands. They lined their drum kits and keyboard platforms with rainbow lighting as well. The rainbow lighting and theme supported their vision so well.
Judah is an honest performer. Whether it was telling personal, honest anecdotes in between songs, or allowing himself to be emotional mid-performance, he makes his shows feel incredibly personal.
Only a couple of songs in, the band broke it down to play some tracks acoustically. One of the best parts of their live performance are the stripped-down versions of songs they do, emphasizing Brian’s unique usage of mandolin and banjo in a genre that they self-proclaim as, “folk hop n’ roll.” I can think of no better way to describe it following their show at the Depot. They jammed out on bluegrass and folk, a nice vibe switch from the rest of their punchy, alternative set.
One of Judah’s most noticeable qualities is his ability to sing well live. He sounds the same, if not better and more raw and real, live as on the tracks. About two weeks into the tour, I felt like we could’ve been the tour opener for them. They had so much excitement, energy, and good musicianship. No signs of slowing momentum.
Throughout the night, I heard a few of my personal favorite tracks, ones from previous records: “Suit and Jacket,” “Take It All Back,” and “Why Did You Run?” “Take It All Back” is the band’s most streamed track, and I noticed they added flares and small changes to it to revamp it and make it new for this tour. Whether it be a differently played solo or changes dynamically.
The band was explicit about their love for Salt Lake City, remarking that when they first became a band, they always remembered how kind and supportive SLC had always been to them. This mutual affection showed through in all the sweet couples hugging through the slow songs, all the adults jumping up and down to the music, likely after a long day of work on a Thursday night.
Playing in their supporting band, Elizabeth Beisel, added so much dimension to their show through her support as a violinist. I have always been a big fan of musicians choosing to play with additional supporting musicians for their live shows. I recently saw Zach Bryan as well in Salt Lake, who also does this really well. With Judah and the Lion being a duo, I loved that they chose to bring on some extra folks to make their sound even fuller. Especially since Elizabeth was a new addition since the last time I had the chance to see them.
Judah and the Lion have great concert culture! Make sure to catch them next time they are in your city!
