Saturday night, NEEDTOBREATHE with Judah and the Lion filled The Armory with enthusiastic fans, ready for a night filled with incredible energy and music that held a positive message in every song performed.
Judah and the Lion immediately came out on stage, giving us 110% of their energy. Hearing them live, they have a more vigorous punk atmosphere than just listening to their studio albums. They are the perfect opener for NEEDTOBREATHE because while both have that bluegrass-meets-rock sound, Judah and the Lion has more punk energy, which gets the crowd pumped and even more ready for the main event.
This crowd was not a typical scene I’m used to seeing at shows. A multi-generational group full of people I would expect to see more at a Sunday morning service than at a popular concert venue. They still brought all the passion and energy needed to make it an exciting night.
NEEDTOBREATHE has been around for almost 20 years, and it shows through the grace and dignity they play with on stage. There’s no denying that this group is of the utmost talent and humility. Their large-scale visuals match the passion they illustrate through their music. Even though this was the biggest headlining show they had done in Minnesota, they still made sure to make it feel as intimate and special as possible. From their small acoustic moment where they all performed at the end of the stage together to the lead singer going into the crowd and walking through as he sang their hit song, ‘Brother.’ Throughout their career, they have raised over 15 million dollars for several charities near and dear to their hearts. On this tour, they have partnered with For Others, which helps fund foster care systems across the country and specifically helps foster kids leaving the system to give them resources to be as successful as they can be.
Being able to witness this show come to life felt like a dream. Everything was put together so well and flowed smoothly. It reminded me of how many people it takes to pull off a show of this scale. Every person has such an important job. It makes you appreciate how much hard work goes on behind the scenes and on the stage.
