Photos & Article by Chelsea Vaughan
On October 4th, 2005, Flyleaf released their self-titled debut album, and in the process, they took the rock scene by storm. The album spent over 33 weeks on the Billboard charts & became the ninth best-selling Christian album of the 2000s. Just over twenty years later, the band announced a tour celebrating the anniversary of their debut album, with numerous openers spanning across the United States.
Now, for context, Flyleaf is a massive deal, not just to the rock scene as a whole, but also to me personally. Everyone has a different song that they listen to for the first time at the age of 12, and that song kind of defines their growth as a person; not in the sense of them living vicariously through the song so to speak, but it’s a song that they play on repeat throughout the years, and in turn it becomes a special song for them. For me, that song was “All Around Me” by Flyleaf; a song about wanting a relationship with Jesus Christ. Even though I was 12 years old and I didn't quite comprehend the religious meaning behind the song, I just related it throughout the years to whatever unhealthy relationship I was in at the time. Regardless of meaning, not only did that song stick with me, it introduced me to the rest of their discography, including their third album “New Horizons”, which is arguably one of the most underrated albums I have ever heard in my life. So, when Flyleaf announced that they were touring to celebrate the album that got me into them, I was over the moon; and I clearly was not the only one, as they completely sold out their tour just a month before taking off.
The Fillmore in Philadelphia, PA, filled up quickly as soon as doors opened. I have been to The Fillmore many times for multiple different concerts, and I can confidently say that this was the most packed I have ever seen it. It felt like a can of overheated sardines as the night went on, with everybody rocking their own alternative sort of style; fishnets, ripped jeans, dyed hair & sweat filled the room with anticipation.
The first opener of the night was MYTCH, who describes himself as a “sonic storyteller who blurs the lines between memory and imagination.” His sound is mixed between dark pop, rock, & a slight hint of metal. He was telling a story from the moment he stepped on the stage with his bandmates. He started the set with a bag over his head, and let his songs narrate the set with ease.
Next on stage was Zahna, a hard-rock force of nature. The moment that Zahna stepped on the stage, she completely owned it with her heavy growls/screams & beautiful voice. I was blown away, and so was the rest of the crowd. She also brought out Brian “Head” Welch, guitarist of Korn, which made the crowd go berserk. They performed their collaborating track “Defiler” together & also covered Justin Bieber’s “Let Me Love You” as a closer. Zahna is definitely an artist to keep your eye on; I would not be surprised if she were to become the next big artist in her genre.
At last, it was time for Flyleaf to take the stage. Lacey Sturm took front and center wearing a layered black dress & twirled to the beat of “Chasm” & “Again”. I’ve seen some articles criticize Lacey’s voice in live settings, however I can confidently deny those claims; Lacey sounded beautiful and took control of the stage with ease. The audience knew every word to every song, and you could probably hear the audience scream “Cassie pulled the trigger” from outside the venue.
As I mentioned earlier, “New Horizons” is my favorite album by Flyleaf, and it was really nice to see that album get some attention on this setlist, with the band performing songs ranging from “Fire Fire” to “Call You Out.” Crowdsurfers rained through the crowd with every song.
The last five songs of the setlist felt like a hammer repeatedly smashing a nail into the ground, with the energy getting higher and higher with every hit that was performed. Before the show ended, Lacey Sturm gave a speech about religion & feeling loved and unique. She also mentioned how her bandmate, Sameer Bhattacharya, had recovered from a near-fatal motorcycle accident. “We didn’t know if he was gonna be able to play guitar, or if he was gonna have to sit in a chair, but he’s standing up playing!” The speech then led into the last song of the night, “All Around Me,” which was a tearjerker for everybody in the room (including myself), and just like that, the show was over.
I’m not one to get emotional at shows; I’ll definitely have tear-jerking moments from time to time, however, this concert specifically meant a lot to me. Flyleaf’s music helped me throughout my teenage years, and it meant a lot to hear the songs that got me through middle school & high school live. I hope the rest of their tour is just as magnificent as Saturday night at The Fillmore was.
To keep up with Flyleaf’s tour, follow their Instagram here.
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