BADFLOWER / SLOTHRUST / MISSIO – BOSTON HOB

BADFLOWER / SLOTHRUST / MISSIO – BOSTON HOB

By Rick Fleck

Boston's stance on Badflowerof 2024 No place like home tour was the House of Blues on the venerable Lansdowne Street. Long runs from adjacent Fenway Park sometimes land at Lansdowne. I didn't know Pearl Jam was playing at Fenway Park that same night. The neighborhood was practically impassable. I was excited to go to Badflower concert. I'd rather see a band that speaks to today's zeitgeist than a legacy act that performs songs written decades ago, no matter how good the legacy act might be. Pearl Jam's 'Jeremy' and BadflowerTeacher Has a Gun's “Teacher Has a Gun” illustrates why.

“Jeremy” is a mash-up of two stories of school gun violence that Pearl Jam singer/songwriter Eddie Vedder weaved together into one striking song. “Master has a gun” by Badflower he is “Jeremy” for a new generation. In the song, the protagonist's teacher has a gun. His sister has a gun. Everyone has a gun. The threat is no longer the lone outcast on a black duster. The threat comes from everywhere and is inevitable. There are no safe havens.

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Badflower's show was a revelation. They commanded the stage like the rock stars they are. They took their songs, already compelling, emotional and sonically flawless, and brought them to life with an explosion of sound, light and flamboyance. Badflower are singer/guitarist Josh Katz, lead guitarist Joey Morrow, bassist Alex Espiritu and drummer Anthony Sonetti.

One can hear the influences of bands like Cage the Elephant in the song melodies and vocal delivery. There are meanings to My Chemical Romance in both styling and songwriting. Stepping back in time, there are elements of pioneering post-punk/new wave bands like the Cure. Badflower also wears its emo credentials on its sleeve. But make no mistake, they are their own unique, unique beast and that was on full display at The House of Blues.

Badflower opened the show with the aforementioned “Teacher Has a Gun,” wisely bursting onto the stage with a fan favorite. “Heroine” was a highlight of the show. It's not a song about drugs, but a song about an obsessive relationship. Badflower he has the ability to imbue every beat with drama and gravity. It was evident with “Heroine”. “The Jester” is a strong song lyrically and caused a raucous singalong, while Morrow's guitar harkens back to the vintage southern rock sound. Katz had the crowd in the palm of his hand all night.

“Ghost” was a demo project and “30” resonated with me on a personal level. Lyrically, clear comparisons can be made between “30” and Radiohead's “Creep”. Many of us go to concerts to make these emotional connections with the music. We came to know and love these songs listening to them on our headphones. Now we have the opportunity to experience them up close.

“Family” was the last song before the encore. Simply put, “Family” is heartbreaking. “I don't deserve this family, you're better off without me.” You have to wonder what point Katz was at when he wrote those lyrics. As he performs the song, your heart tugs with him. It takes you back to a place of pain and anguish. Katz was a surrogate for the audience, giving voice to their collective anxieties and providing catharsis.

Other standouts were “Fukboi”, “Detroit” and the unreleased “Snuff”. “Detroit” is about the Baby Boomer's desire to give their children everything they never had. But they end up neglecting them emotionally. The night ended with 'Girlfriend', another crowd pleaser and a fitting choice to bring down the curtain. There is no decade from the 1970s to 2020 where Badflower he couldn't come on stage and own it.

Last May I saw Slothrust degree at Cambridge, Ma. at The Sinclair celebrating 10 years since their landmark album Of course yes. I couldn't wait to see what was on Badflower tour. Slothrust is guitarist/singer/songwriter Leah Wellbaum and drummer/percussionist Will Gorin. They were joined by bassist Annie Hoffman of Weakened Friends, who played with them on the “Of Course You Do” tour.

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Wellbaum filled her side on the big stage with theatrical gestures and honest displays of emotion. Hoffman is an ever-smiling whirling dervish. The two make any stage feel familiar. Wellbaum interacted with audiences using a sense of humor that was at once cynical, satirical, and self-serving. Highlights of their set were 'Double Down', 'Cranium' and their impressive cover of Ginuwine's hit 'Pony'.

Hateful opened the night by taking the stage like a band hailing from the live music melting pot that is Austin, Tx. Consisting of the duo of singer/multi-instrumentalist/producer Matthew Brue and engineer/multi-instrumentalist/producer David Butler, they are joined on this tour by drummer Joey Castro and guitarist Scott Garrett Graham. Missio is difficult to define in the best sense of the word. Taking at times the industrial wall of sound that is Nine Inch Nails, the hard bite of Korn, the chaotic energy and thick riffs of System of a Down, and the brainworm rhythms of Gorillaz, this alchemically creates its own signature sound.

Rick Fleck photos

Opening with single 'The Higher You Climb', they progressed into a cohesive, well-structured set that included some of their most popular songs. The set included their single 'Twisted' which got the crowd going. “Everybody Gets High” is an intense and compelling look at addiction. They closed with the powerful “Good Vibrations”. The set was highlights, from first to last. The generous stage gave all three bands plenty of room to perform, but I would have loved to have seen Missio as the headliner play a full set. However, as the old showbiz maxim states. “Always leave them wanting more.”

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