Photos & Review | Flyleaf and Lacey Sturm Reunite for an Emotional Opening Night of the 20th Anniversary Tour at Atlanta's Tabernacle

Some reunions are fueled by nostalgia. Others feel like unfinished stories finally finding the story they always deserved.

For thousands of fans who packed Atlanta’s Tabernacle, Flyleaf’s opening night of their 20th Anniversary Tour was much more than the first stop on a nationwide run. It marked the long-awaited return of original vocalist Lacey Sturm to the band for the first time in well over a decade, bringing one of the defining voices of 2000s hard rock back to the songs that helped shape an entire generation. With Atlanta chosen as the launching point for the tour, there was an unmistakable feeling throughout the historic venue that everyone in attendance understood they were about to witness something special. The tour’s opening night, and Sturm’s return, began at the Tabernacle before continuing across the country.

Flyleaf – Photo: Scott Zambito

Long before the lights dimmed, every level of the Tabernacle buzzed with anticipation. Conversations echoed through the venue as fans reminisced about discovering Flyleaf during the mid-2000s, many wearing shirts that had survived countless concerts over the past two decades. Others were experiencing the band live for the very first time, eager to finally see the lineup they had only watched in old live videos. It created a unique atmosphere where nostalgia met genuine excitement, proving that Flyleaf’s music has continued to resonate long after the band’s debut album first arrived.

As the house lights fell and the band emerged, the response from the audience bordered on deafening. The moment Lacey Sturm walked onto the stage, every lingering question about whether this reunion would feel authentic disappeared almost instantly. She attacked the opening songs with the same urgency and conviction that made Flyleaf stand out from countless peers during the band’s rise, yet there was an unmistakable sense of maturity behind every lyric. Time may have passed, but the chemistry between Sturm and the rest of the band never felt like something that needed rebuilding. Instead, it felt as though they had simply picked up where they left off.

Flyleaf – Photo: Scott Zambito

Throughout the evening, Flyleaf avoided turning the performance into a greatest hits victory lap. While beloved staples remained the emotional backbone of the show, the setlist reached across multiple eras of the band’s catalog, giving longtime fans opportunities to hear songs they never expected to experience with Sturm behind the microphone again. The inclusion of tracks such as “Great Love,” “Stand,” and “This Close,” alongside the live debut of “Saving Grace,” demonstrated that this tour was designed to celebrate the entire journey rather than a single album.

Musically, the band sounded remarkably tight. Sameer Bhattacharya’s soaring guitar work effortlessly shifted between crushing riffs and melodic textures, while Pat Seals and James Culpepper locked together to provide the driving foundation that has always given Flyleaf’s music its unmistakable power. Every member performed with visible joy, exchanging smiles throughout the night that reflected just how meaningful this reunion was for them as much as it was for the audience.

Flyleaf – Photo: Scott Zambito

If there was one defining characteristic of the evening, it was the connection between the stage and the crowd. Nearly every chorus transformed into a massive singalong as thousands of voices carried lyrics that have remained deeply personal for fans over the past twenty years. “Fully Alive” ignited one of the night’s loudest reactions, while “Cassie” and “So I Thought” filled the room with an emotional weight that seemed to stop time altogether. By the time the unmistakable opening riff of “I’m So Sick” erupted through the Tabernacle, the floor became a sea of jumping bodies and raised fists, with every word shouted back toward the stage.

Closing the night with “All Around Me” felt less like the end of a concert and more like the culmination of a shared experience. As voices echoed throughout the Tabernacle one final time, it became clear that this wasn’t simply about celebrating twenty years of Flyleaf. It was about celebrating music that has remained deeply woven into the lives of the people singing every lyric back to the band.

Flyleaf – Photo: Scott Zambito

Opening nights often come with uncertainty as bands settle into a new tour. Flyleaf showed none of that. Instead, they delivered a performance filled with confidence, emotion, and the unmistakable chemistry that fans had hoped would still exist. If Atlanta was any indication of what lies ahead, the 20th Anniversary Tour is far more than a celebration of the past. It is proof that some chapters aren’t meant to stay closed, and that certain voices never lose their ability to make thousands of people feel exactly what they felt the very first time they pressed play.