Alternative-indie rock band “Badflower” took over the Aztec Theatre this past weekend in a packed lineup ranging from “Nothing More” to “Of Mice and Men.” After seeing each band play, “Badflower” stood out to me in more ways than one. Aside from their instrumental skills, the lyrical depth of their songs are second to none. Their performance of their hit song “x ANA x” spoke on mental health and drug use and was backed up by exquisite drumming by Anthony Sonetti. One of the qualities that can make me a fan of an artist or band is the balance of lyrics and musicianship; this is something that Badflower manages to do considerably well.
They kept a strong pace throughout the entire set. One of my biggest criticisms of live performances is the artists’ lack of stamina to sustain the energy from the first song to the last. Whether it is because the performer gets tired, or the crowd loses interest, it requires skill to keep good energy and ensure the crowd’s interest does not deplete. “Badflower” had a magnetic aura of energy that ignited and engaged the crowd in the music from start to finish.
The vocals of the band’s singer/guitarist, Josh Katz, were on point and embodied the emotions behind the deeper meanings of some of the songs being performed. While Katz and his guitarist counterparts, Joey Morrow and bass guitarist Alex Espiritu weren’t necessarily playing the most intricate chords, the simplicity felt right and it seemed like the classic “less is more” scenario that a lot of bands have trouble grasping nowadays. Morrow is incredibly skilled and he definitely stood out as one of the most entertaining aspects out of all of the bands that night.
Typically, when I see the show’s opener perform, it is incredibly hard to watch them try to energize the crowd, but “Badflower” managed to do so with ease. For me, what did it was the balance of Katz’s storytelling abilities and substantial stage presence. This balance seems like it would be hard for even some of the biggest names, so I commend the band for this.
While “Badflower’s” music was definitely a bit out of the realm of my usual preferred music taste, they still managed to put on a great set overall. If you are a fan of alternative-indie rock, I would encourage you to give them a listen. I would not be surprised to see them playing in arenas in the future.
