BADFLOWER - LIVE AT THE PAGEANT
For a guy two apples tall with the temper of a guy ten apples tall, Josh Katz did a great job staying mostly composed despite his frustrations over his ongoing vocal struggles. Badflower hit St. Louis on the 24th— like really... Josh repeatedly hit The Pageant stage with a guitar. The show was an absolute banger even with Josh pushing himself past his limits. He did a phenomenal job at giving the audience a show to remember.
Openers Olive Vox and Point North joined Badflower this stop. Both a vibe, both unforgettable. From Vox’s catchy riffs in their song Smile For Me to North’s slightly disorienting but exciting bass in their song Bring Me Down, both really set the stage for Badflower.
Josh hopped onto the stage with his signature brightly colored beanie— orange this time… Pointfest 2023, the last I saw him, gave us a neon pink. The band had their own energy about them: grounded, but playful. They did well to balance Josh’s frustration through the whole set.
Mid set, Josh stepped backstage only to return with a handful of cough drops to toss into the crowd, a snarky comment to pair; something along the lines of “They don’t fucking work anyway!” Following his little joke about the absolutely worthless OTC throat aid, a fan shouted for him to try tea. Katz’s response left me cackling in the audience. Pure disbelief washed over this man’s face. “TRY TEA? What do you think I’m NEW?” He had to sit himself down for a brief but very sassy conversation with the audience. Though he played the humor card, Josh did struggle both physically (with his voice) and mentally (took it out on his iconic white telecaster). Fans took to social media to support him shortly after the show, some even reminding him he’s doing great during. I agree with them all.
Josh has had some mysterious issues with his vox for the past year or so and everyone he’s seen has said everything looks fine— he’s healthy! Unfortunately, American healthcare is an absolute bust and simply a money pit. I speak for everyone who has spent tens of thousands of dollars for a simple diagnosis that could’ve been solved in a single visit: You’re right, Josh. Something IS wrong. I just wish our healthcare system cared enough to do things right the first time around. Katz proceeded on the tour after St. Louis only to cut his show at Salt Lake City short due to his struggles (mentioned above). Katz also mentioned a possible tour cancellation in a recent Instagram post, but later took it back after finally having a relatively successful doctor visit in Denver.
I hope you figure it out, Josh.
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