Flyleaf with Lacey Sturm // The 20th Anniversary Tour

Dallas, TX – July 24, 2026 – I have never written a show review with such pleasantly swollen eyes and destroyed vocal cords, but here we are. I cannot put into words what seeing, photographing and singing along with Flyleaf and Lacey Sturm did to the core of my soul but here goes nothing. I would like to give a quick shoutout to Brittany, a buddy I had freshman year in high school, that lent me her Flyleaf cd along with a handful of others she thought I would like so I could upload them to my iTunes account. Little did I know she was handing me the album that would stick to my heart like superglue through my adolescence and adulthood.

Being Christian can sometimes be rough when you enjoy rock, metal and emo music. Sometimes I do not necessarily relate to or enjoy lyrics, but I will stick around because I love the melodies, instrumentals and some of the political messages within said music. With Flyleaf, I have always been able to celebrate their music with my whole being, especially their debut, self-titled album that was released twenty years ago! With Flyleaf, I have always felt I could be my true self, guilt-free, while listening to their music and latching on to each thoughtful lyric.

The first thing I would like to note about this concert experience is the crowd. I have been to hundreds of shows of this genre, and the people are always nice but this group, all of Dallas’ finest emo kids adults, were on another energy level I have never felt before.

Flyleaf is bringing a ton of opening acts out on the road with them for this tour, so be sure to check their Instagram pins to see who the openers are for your show! For Dallas, the support was almost too perfect. Kicking things off, an artist by the name of “aka Bobby,” a local from Waco, got the night started with a sweet acoustic set full of his own music and a gorgeous rendition of “Dare You To Move” by Switchfoot. Next up were Resident Hero, a 3-piece rock band all the way from Los Angeles, CA who rocked the shit out of their set. Last up before Flyleaf was Big Story, an alt-prog-rock band from right here in Dallas, TX. All three acts held it down so well that I will be adding their music to my playlists immediately!

Before Flyleaf took the stage to deliver the performance of a generation, the lights dimmed to red and Chevelle’s “The Red” played over the speakers while the crowd anxiously awaited the bands emergence. The musicians came out first, then Lacey Sturm joined them a few seconds later and everyone, including myself, lost their minds with joyful cheers. As soon as they began playing “In The Dark,” chills covered my body. I braced myself to be physically affected by this show, but I did not expect it so quickly! As I watched Lacey looking at and interacting with the audience, I could not help but notice how assiduous her performance was. You can tell she has a deep understanding of what the band and their lyrics mean to each person in that room and that she does not take responsibility lightly or for granted. Her energy can be felt like a warm hug even from ten feet away.

The band flawlessly dove into “Chasm” and “Again” from their sophomore album “Memento Mori” and I felt myself hovering in an out-of-body experience. Most of my photographs turned out blurry because I was shaking with excitement. During “Again,” Lacey noticed me scream-singing my heart out and smiled at me. Yes, I melted haha. Normally, we photographers only get to photograph the first three songs from the pit but “In The Dark” was cut short so we were allowed one more for “Fire Fire” – one of a handful of tracks the band played from their fourth studio album, “New Horizons.” As I was on my way out, Flyleaf began playing “Beautiful Bride,” one of my absolute favorites. I asked one of the security guys if I could please stay for a minute to record it on my phone from the side and he allowed it! Shoutout to that legend.

I took a quick break to collect myself before rushing back out to the crowd as soon as I heard that iconic opening to “Cassie.” There was a name swap, but I did not quite catch it so if anyone else knows what it is, let me know! The band played five more songs from their fourth album and “This Close” from their second before bringing it back to their debut album.

The final six songs turned the evening into a true collective effervescence. “Fully Alive” and “Sorrow” hit so hard but my personal all-time favorite “So I Thought” was a literal life-changing moment. They brought out Ryan White to sing with Lacey, who explained he was terribly injured and they were not sure he would get to walk or perform again but he was able to recover and perform with Flyleaf. A swell of emotion hit not only me, but the entire audience singing along to each lyric. I wanted to record the whole song, but the holy spirit took control, and I was forced to headbang to that legendary guitar solo. Obviously everyone loves “I’m So Sick,” and they should but you cannot fathom the electricity that floods your veins when those screams hit. And they HIT.

Before playing the ultimate fan favorite “All Around Me,” Lacey took a few minutes to bring the room to church. She shared that when she was younger, she struggled with suicidal thoughts and followed by telling us that we are all made perfect from God – we all are beautiful and have a purpose here on this earth. People around me were yelling “amen” and some were even crying, the whole crowd was cheering. The penultimate song was an energetic force, a true religious experience. Flyleaf and Lacey ended the night on a super-high with one more fan-favorite, “Arise.” I dipped out through the back to beat traffic but even after the doors shut, I could hear the crowd going crazy and roaring with ovation.

It has not even been twenty-four hours but, I am still beaming and mega emosh from last night’s show. Normally, this is where I would tell the reader to grab a ticket because you do not want to miss this tour, but it has unfortunately, and deservedly, sold out. You can, however, check ticket resale sites to see if anyone is selling their tickets. Flyleaf with Lacey Sturm continues their 20th Anniversary Tour now through August 29th.