Butcher Babies, LYLVC, Sacred Rose

89th Street OKC, Oklahoma City, OK

March 14, 2026

Review and Gallery by Ally Arens

Judge & Jury records label-mates Butcher Babies and LYLVC are both kicking some major ass on the road serving as supporting acts for Jeris Johnson’s latest North American tour, dubbed the “Tour in the USA”. After some rescheduling due to illness in the touring camp (and, sadly, down a band after Eva Under Fire had to return home to Michigan early due to vehicle issues), the tour finally made its way to Oklahoma City’s 89th Street a month later than planned – and it was absolutely worth the wait as all of the acts performed their hearts out for a room full of excited concertgoers. 

First to take the stage was Oklahoma City’s own Sacred Rose, who brought a wonderfully grunge-inspired hard rock sound to the stage. Led by the charismatic Portia Glommen, they got the night started by performing a few tracks from their 2025 EP Miss Me Yet? such as “Hunting Season” and “Boxwine” as well as earlier single “Violet’s Dead” and a well-executed cover of “Heart-Shaped Box” that got everyone singing along. OK-area locals can catch them next supporting fellow Oklahoma rockers Locust Grove in Chickasha this April. 

Next to perform was LYLVC (pronounced “lilac”), a dynamic, hard-rocking troupe fronted by co-vocalists Alyse Zavala and Oscar Romero who immediately captured the crowd’s attention as they kicked off their set with their single “Barely Human”, followed by the spicy banger “XXX”. Zavala’s live vocals are an absolute powerhouse, and the band’s energy makes them extremely fun to watch, especially in a tiny room with no barricade, while their lyrics simultaneously stab like a knife through the heart at times. 

The band is no stranger to addressing mental health-related themes in their music, which continues to ring true on newest single “Starless”, released on March 10. The track (which also sounded BEAUTIFUL live) is about looking for someone or something to help guide one through dark times, and Romero mentioned when introducing the track that it was extra personal for him as it touched on his own history of mental health struggles.

After this run wraps, the band will be performing at the MMR*B*Q* Fest on May 9 in Camden, NJ alongside Godsmack, Alice Cooper, Kami Kehoe, and others. Tickets for upcoming shows can be found on their website, and be sure to check out “Starless” on your preferred streaming outlet. 

Right around 8 p.m., it was time for Butcher Babies to take the stage as the final opener – and to be honest, they should have been headlining with the level of energy that was emitted from the stage as vocalist Heidi Shepherd whipped her hair every which way and screamed with a level of power and control that many have attempted but few have mastered. Her ability to switch between deep growls and belted choruses is even more impressive, and is a major factor in Butcher Babies’ continued longevity in the metal scene following their breakout in the early 2010s. 

Their brief, 8-song set leaned heavily toward more recent material with selections from their 2023 double album Eye for an Eye…’Till The World’s Blind such as “Red Thunder” and “Beaver Cage”, as well as “Sincerity” and latest single “Lost in Your Touch”. However, they made sure to appease longer-time fans as well with fan-favorites such as “Monsters Ball” and set closer “Magnolia Blvd.”, the latter of which saw Shepherd going into the crowd as a circle pit formed around her. By the end of their performance, there was not a still body to be found in the room.

After this tour concludes, Butcher Babies’ busy year continues – more new music has been promised to be on the horizon and they are preparing to hit the road overseas supporting Infected Rain as well as make appearances at festivals such as Sonic Temple, RockFest Wisconsin, and Louder than Life. All upcoming shows can be found on their website, and check out “Lost in Your Touch” streaming now.