Chicagoans pour, and rock, their hearts out with Badflower

On February 22, 2026, Badflower stormed into Chicago just like they were the second winter - right through the false spring.

They didn't come alone. Badflower also brought along two other powerhouse bands, Point North and Olive Vox. I wish I had a better view of these guys performing, but it almost didn't matter. I found myself head-banging most of the time - just enjoying the music. These were two bands that I was definitely not familiar with prior to their performance, but it's safe to say that I'll be familiarizing myself with their music some more now. All things considered, by the time Badflower was due to go on stage, my hair was an absolute mess!

Josh Katz has a way of speaking and capturing the crowd. He's not afraid to be raw, transparent, or himself. He doesn't hide from the crowd nor does he go on stage with the sole intention of performing. He stops the show to interact with the crowd, talk about his life and struggles, and just have a laugh with the crowd. Josh isn't afraid to get some blood on his hands and join and/or jump into the crowd. As the frontman, he sets the precedent for how the rest of his band also interacts with the crowd.. even if that means giving the crowd more than they bargained for.. (they had Joey (guitarist) throw a literal banana to the second floor, knocking someone's phone out of their hand).

It's always surreal getting to see bands that helped you during incredibly low times of your life. It's even more surreal to have them towering over you, inches away from you. And although Josh was going through a vocal struggle/strain, he did not disappoint in the slightest. He stopped the show multiple times to talk about his struggle with his loss of voice over the last year, but if anything, it showed his true commitment to his passion and fans. I am sure that for an artist there is no greater struggle than the feeling that you're losing your ability to perform, so it's important that we as fans are there to support those who have [unknowingly] been there for us.

One of their last songs, and the first song I ever heard by Badflower, was "Ghost." By this point you could hear the strain and the cracking of the voice. But, I don't think it took away from the overall song and performance. If anything, it almost made me tear up more knowing that even through the struggle and the pain, he continues to show up. To me, that's what this song is all about.. the feeling of unworthiness, regret, and the feeling that 'letting go' is easier than persevering - but still doing it.

For that, I will forever be thankful..