Flyleaf @ House of Blues Chicago (7/17/2026)
Flyleaf played an emotionally charged concert this past Friday at the Chicago House of Blues. The Music Hall, an ornate homage to Chicago's blues legacy, was buzzing with excitement before showtime as fans grabbed their drinks & merch.
Islander, a dynamic American alternative-rock band, kicked off the night with their energetic performance. Lead singer, Mikey Carvajal, was a master at hyping up the crowd and really getting people to engage with the music.
Emo/post-hardcore legends, Escape the Fate, played as the second act and absolutely melted faces with their mix of alternative and emo riffs. Craig Mabbitt's vocals were off the charts, as well as Mattin Hoffman's masterful guitar playing.
Flyleaf then took to the stage amidst a roar of lively applause from the audience. Getting to see such an incredible band that I myself was a huge fan of growing up was honestly so full circle and touching. Even in my old age, I felt "fully alive" as the band graced the stage. It was especially heart-warming to see Lacey Sturm, the original lead singer, on vocals. She is just such an amazing vocalist, and it really showed in the live performance.
It was also very touching to see not just elder emos/millennials in the crowd, but also a massive younger audience there to see Flyleaf. I can still remember Flyleaf's music feeling like a safe space for teens to navigate life's heaviest challenges, and often finding catharsis for those emotions through the music, and I was very happy to see that still seems to be the case for Gen Z and Gen Alpha!
Overall, I was just really blown away by the reciprocal energy between Lacey and the fans in the crowd and I think one thing everyone in the audience walked away with that night was a feeling of true connectedness through the music.
Photos by Lauren Anderson
Islander
Escape the Fate
Flyleaf
