It was a crazy night on Landsdowne Street in Boston. Fans of all ages were in for a jam packed night of rock. Fenway Park was hosting Pearl Jam, and House of Blues was hosting Badflower. The fans were trying to make their way into the venue amounst all the other fans in the area.
The first band of the evening was American electronic alternative duo formed in 2014 in Austin, Texas Missio. It currently consists of founding member Matthew Brue (frontman/songwriter/producer) and David Butler (songwriter/producer).
In 2023, Missio released a series of EPs and singles, ‘I Am Sad’, ‘Easy’, ‘Good Vibrations’, ‘Big Stacks’, ‘I Am High’, ‘Goodbye to the Old Me’, ‘Making Me Nervous’, ‘Heart Made of Dynamite’, and ‘I Am Awesome’.
Missio’s fifth album, titled “I Am Cinco” released on May 3rd 2024. It included all the songs from their previous EPs ‘I Am Sad’, ‘I Am High’ and ‘I Am Awesome’, as well as their singles ‘Fuck It’, ‘Time’, ‘Aztec Death Whistle’ and ‘The Higher You Climb”
MISSIO’s live show is a masterclass in blending electronic and rock elements with raw emotion. Their ability to bring a crowd from introspective stillness to wild, unfiltered energy is a testament to their unique sound and performance style. Fans left the venue buzzing with excitement, many already anticipating the next time MISSIO would come through town.
The next band up for the night was American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 2010 Slothrust. The band consists of Leah Wellbaum (vocals, guitar) and Will Gorin (drums). Wellbaum and Gorin first began collaborating as students at Sarah Lawrence College. After performing in various school groups, the two joined to create music with a “heavier” sound.
On October 20, 2023, Slothrust released the EP I Promise, in conjunction with announcing a tour promoting the upcoming ten-year anniversary of their 2014 album Of Course You Do.
Opening with the “Double Down” Wellbaum’s sultry, rich voice immediately commanded attention. The audience was drawn in by the song’s eerie, contemplative tone, and the room was steeped in a quiet intensity. But as the tempo picked up, the crowd was jolted awake, and from that moment on, the energy only built.
In a live setting, Slothrust’s ability to balance vulnerability with power is captivating. Their sound is at once familiar and utterly unique, a collision of influences that shouldn’t work but does, brilliantly. The audience was left buzzing with the kind of high you only get from witnessing a band at the peak of their creative powers.
The final performer of the evening was American rock band founded in Los Angeles, California Badflower. The band is composed of singer/guitarist Josh Katz, lead guitarist Joey Morrow, bass guitarist Alex Espiritu and drummer Anthony Sonetti.
Opening with the hard-hitting “Teacher Has A Gun,” the band immediately set the tone for the evening. Katz’s haunting vocals filled the venue as he prowled the stage with a restless energy, while the crowd erupted into cheers, feeding off the intensity from the very first note. Alex Espiritu’s bass lines and Anthony Sonetti’s drums drove the song forward with relentless force, building anticipation for what would become a night filled with emotional highs and lows.
What sets Badflower apart in a live setting is their ability to balance intense, emotionally charged songs with high-energy rock anthems. “Move Me” was a perfect example of this, as the band transitioned from introspective ballads to explosive choruses with ease. Katz’s frenetic stage presence and sharp guitar riffs gave the song an edge, and the crowd couldn’t help but sing along to the infectious chorus.
During the performance Katz would jump into the crowd while playing guitar and play within the crowd. This really got the crowd riled up as they got see him up close and personal.
Of course, Badflower didn’t shy away from confronting difficult topics. Their performance of “The Jester” and “Family” tackled themes of identity, mental health, and familial struggles with brutal honesty. Katz’s vocal range, switching from vulnerable whispers to impassioned screams, kept the audience emotionally engaged throughout. There’s a certain fearlessness in Badflower’s approach to songwriting and performance that makes their live shows feel cathartic—not just for the band, but for the audience as well.
Badflower’s live performance isn’t just about entertainment—it’s about connection, release, and facing the darkness head-on. They masterfully blend vulnerability with explosive energy, creating a space where fans can feel seen and heard. Leaving the crowd was buzzing, filled with a sense of camaraderie and catharsis that only comes from sharing an emotional, unfiltered experience like this.
Badflower
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Slothrust
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