FLYLEAF
Flyleaf, The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA 7/11/2026
Fans old and new brought the energy to the Fillmore for Flyleaf’s sold-out 20th-anniversary tour with Lacey Sturm. With the band reuniting with Lacey for their first proper tour since 2015, anticipation was through the roof. With 19 different openers for this tour, Philadelphia got Christian rock artist Zahna and alternative pop artist Mytch.
Starting the night was Mytch. From Tennessee, his music takes a lot of inspiration from cinematic elements and moody storytelling in his lyrics. This was apparent in his performance as well, with the band taking the stage with black bags over their heads, being removed by their crew with flashlights being shone in their eyes. With voice-overs playing in the beginning, middle, and end of the set, Mytch did an amazing job of immersing you in the world he creates on stage. The narrative of the show, the riffs of the guitars, and his stunning vocals made for an amazing beginning to the show.
Second was Zahna, with her music coming from a personal place. She dealt with illnesses and struggles with faith. You could feel the power and emotion of her performance, and it held a super special surprise for metal fans alike. More on that soon. Zahna is truly a one-of-a-kind performer, utilizing all of the stage, jumping on and off platforms while still maintaining an incredible vocal range that didn't shake once. Towards the end of the set, Zahna announced that she had a guest to bring on, and soon enough, guitarist and founding member of Korn, Brian, took the stage with Zahna and performed the last couple of songs together. The crowd lost its minds, and it made listening to and watching the last few moments of the set even more impactful.
With the self-titled album “Flyleaf” released 20 years ago, it changed the music scene completely, with the band successfully bridging the gap between traditional hard rock and Christian music. Although the band does not claim to be a “Christian band,” they call themselves “Christians in a band.” With Lacey Sturm taking a step back from the band for almost 10 years, they only recently started to play with each other at music festivals, with this 20th anniversary tour being the first time Flyleaf is on a proper headlining tour since 2016.
The set began with “In the Dark,” “Chasm,” and “Again.” Watching Lacey in the flesh was truly incredible, with her stage presence and vocals being next-level. The rest of their band deserves their flowers too, with a highlight being the bassist Pat, who utilized the platforms on the stage so well and then jumped off of them and continued playing without missing a beat. Flyleaf’s discography is extremely memorable and has songs that are perfect to scream out to, so the audience wasn't quiet for a second. Hearing the fans sing the songs with Lacey felt like the most intimate and emotional thing ever. But no rock show would be complete without crowd surfing, and having the combination of all of that made being a fan in the crowd so fun.
Throughout the set, the band played all of the fan favorites, like “Cassie,” “Fully Alive,” and “So I Thought.” But with 2 songs remaining, “I’m So Sick” shook the room with the passion and energy that were coming from the band and the fans. Everyone in that room knew every single word to the song. And best believe Flyleaf saved the best for last, with “All Around Me” being the final song of the night. Before the song began, Lacey gave a beautiful speech about our place in the world and how we are all unique and we all serve a purpose. Lacey explained that “All Around Me” was written when she was 16 and that it was during a low point in her life, and then she saw a godlike being that spoke to her. This speech and song were a phenomenal way to end the night.
With many more dates of this tour on the horizon, I couldn't recommend this tour enough. Having an incredible headlining performance mixed with different openers for every stop of the tour makes every show special and unique. Fans of all ages will definitely come together and leave with a good feeling and message after seeing Flyleaf live.
Shot and Written by Christopher McIntyre
