Flyleaf Inspires McAllen Audience

The line at Cine El Rey in McAllen stretched down and around the block as fans eagerly waited to get inside and up against the stage to get as close as possible to Flyleaf.

At the front of the line stood a couple who had driven nearly 600 miles to take in their third Flyleaf concert, and had been waiting at the theater since 2 p.m.

"It's her birthday present," Matt Bertrand, 23, said, smiling at his wife, both from Midland.

"I just love Flyleaf," Jordan, 22, said. "They're my favorite."

"We love what they stand for," Matt added.

The theater was half-packed when local band Stillborne got things started. They got the crowd pumped for Flyleaf with a dramatic flair - a heavy bass line and killer riff as the backdrop for Matt Rios' passionate vocals.

The chatter throughout the audience grew louder between acts as the anticipation for Flyleaf built.

Methmare Motorcade opened to a less than enthusiastic response. Maybe the crowd was just tired of waiting and wanted their Flyleaf fix.

Methmare's cover of Kenny Loggins' "The Danger Zone" fell on nearly deaf ears. Those over the age of 30 probably appreciated the sharp-edged tribute to an ‘80s classic.

The moment was inching nearer and the audience grew exponentially. They moved as one toward the stage, leaving room for maybe a baker's dozen.

Gabby Fuentes sat in the balcony, nervously bouncing her leg. She enjoyed the music the local bands played, but she was ready for Flyleaf. It was her first concert and she was smiling ear to ear.

"I love Flyleaf," the 13-year-old said, her eyes never leaving the stage.

Equipment was being set up and torn down simultaneously. The movements on stage slowed, hinting that the band may be ready to perform. The fans couldn't contain their excitement any longer and began chanting, "Flyleaf! Flyleaf!"

Heck, I was chanting with them.

We'd been waiting since the cancelled show in April.

We wanted our Flyleaf!

Fifteen very long minutes crawled by, but finally ... could it be?

The lights went down and the cell phones came out.

The musicians took their places on stage, and the darkened theater of chanting fans quieted as a tiny, sweet voice greeted them. The audience swayed, lighting the room with the collective glow of phones. The soft introduction of "Justice & Mercy" gave way to a rockin' performance including the song "Breathe Today".

The band took a breather while lead singer Lacey Mosley climbed on top of the monitor downstage and told the background story of the song titled "Tina". The songbird evangelist held the audience captivated as she recalled the first time she met Tina, who inspired the song. Mosley witnessed to her audience and touched them with stories of her own experiences.

Then they rocked some more.

Halfway through their set, Flyleaf played the fan favorite "All Around Me" and got a huge thank you from their fans in the form of screams. Not that the audience wasn't appreciative of everything Flyleaf played.

Mosley announced their final song and thanked everyone for coming out to see them play. "There For You" is another favorite and is often interpreted as a love song. That's fine with Mosley, though it wasn't intended as such. The pint-sized chanteuse exited the stage, singing the last few notes. And they don't do encores. So you'll have to wait until next time they roll into town.

South Texas seemed a bit quieter last night as people filed out of the theater, for all the voices that were surely lost.

Fuentes knew she was going to meet Flyleaf and bounced excitedly in her seat as she waited for the theater to clear. Others waited around, hoping for autographs or a handshake, or maybe even just another glimpse of the band.

Flyleaf's tour manager signaled for Fuentes to come backstage. Fuentes hopped out of her seat and all but ran to the heavy curtain separating her from her favorite band ever.

It was a whirlwind as the little girl was ushered backstage, out the door and inside Flyleaf's tour bus.

There she was, face-to-face with the band she loved, and she could say little more than, "Hi."

Mosley coaxed Fuentes into talking with her about why she liked Flyleaf and what songs touched her and how.

"I can relate to their songs," the self-proclaimed biggest Flyleaf fan said. "Like in "Cassie", talking about ending your life and how it's wrong. It makes me think again. I may think I have it bad and I really don't. The song gave me a different perspective."

She got a chance to talk to Mosley about that song and how her interpretation of it helped her through some rough times.

The entire band signed her CD and posed for a photo with her. After she stepped out of the tour bus, Fuentes went back and forth between talking incessantly and standing there in quiet awe.

"It was more than I expected," she summed up. "It was my first concert and it will be the best, I'm sure. I mean, I knew I was going to see Flyleaf, but I didn't know I would breathe the same air as them!"

Amy Nichol Smith covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4420.