A First Time for Everything with Francis of Delirium

Francis of Delirium at their first headline show at Schuba’s in Chicago June 1, 2024.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLOTTE STRAZIS

First steps, first words, first loves, first heartbreaks. All of these first times are about experiencing the newness – good or bad – that being alive has to offer. We center our lives around these milestones to understand the passage of time, make the mundane more meaningful, and create a sense of connection to each other. 

The first album from Francis of Delirium, Lighthouse, embodies the intricacies of first times, first loves, and first loses. Recorded between London and a farmhouse in rural Luxembourg, Lighthouse guides you through the beginnings and ends of a relationship, with the “fulcrum point of the album” commencing in “Starts to End.” 

The most stripped-down song on the album, “Starts to End,” is the beginning of the end of a relationship. It’s when you know the boat is sinking, but you’re not quite ready to let go. It’s holding on to the things that keep two people connected even when you know you're both about to drown. Jana Bahrich, lead singer and guitarist reveals “First Touch” is her favorite on the album. A song about remembering the beginning moments of a romance “and living for a lost cause” is one Bahrich professes she “just likes listening to.” 

Setting the stakes high with “Ballet Dancers (Never Love Again),” a song that intelligently mixes the romantic sounds of classical strings with punchy guitars, and ending with “Give it Back to Me” as a declaration of reclaiming yourself post heartbreak, Lighthouse brings the listener full circle. The debut album from Francis of Delirium is an emotionally powerful stance on love and grief that anyone can relate to.

Bahrich, the charming 22-year-old behind the project, writes as if you’re reading a page ripped straight from her journal. In an interview with Pleaser, Bahrich confesses, “I didn't think about sharing it with anybody. So that makes it a little bit easier to write more personally.” 

Referring to Francis of Delirium’s past EP, The Funhouse, she explains that beginning to write with more vulnerability on their first album was a change she welcomed. It’s one that the fans have accepted as well. Playing Lighthouse live and chatting with crowds after their shows has allowed Bahrich to connect more intimately with their fanbase through collective stories of love, loss, and transformation.

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Catching up with Bahrich before Francis of Delirium’s first headline show in Chicago felt like talking to a childhood friend – easy and familiar. Her own musical journey starts from relatable beginnings, discovering the first band she loved, Pearl Jam, through live shows on YouTube to buying a Selena Gomez and The Scene song as her first iTunes purchase. Unsurprisingly, Bahrich’s talent for music has been with her since she was a child. 

While more serious attempts at songwriting began at age 12, she says she created her first song at three as an accidental riff on the childhood classic book “Brown Bear, Brown Bear.” Caught by her parents on camera, Bahrich began singing “lamb, lamb, a golden lamb. What do you call it? A golden lamb,” almost like being a songwriter was “written in the sky.”(Starts to End by Francis of Delirium) 

From there Bahrich’s musical development flourished. Playing her first show ever at 15 in Luxembourg’s renowned blues bar, Liquid Bar, Bahrich says, “I was so nervous. I didn't tell anybody what was happening. I told my parents they couldn't come.” But she's come a long way from her first show. Since then, the band together has released three EPs, their first album, and have completed their first headline tour in the States. Their performance on June 1 at Schubas Tavern was an incredible feat to experience. 

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Francis of Delirium has a captivating stage presence – one most performers aspire to. The kind that makes you go back and see a band over and over again.The kind that keeps you present at a show. The kind that makes the world fall away around you when they step on stage. Composed of three members – Bahrich , Denis Schumacher, and Jeff Hennico – Francis of Delirium performed in a world of their own and visibly enjoyed themselves. Filled with friends and strangers alike, Schubas Tavern gravitated towards their magnetic performance. Bahrich’s charming demeanor invited the crowd into her bubble like they were part of the band themselves. 

“The last time we were here was around St. Patrick's Day. And your river was terrifying and disgusting,” Bahrich recalled from the first time they played in Chicago, garnering laughs from the crowd. A fan responded back, “It’s always terrifying and disgusting,” connecting them with a shared experience. 

It’s obvious Bahrich cares about creating genuine connections at her shows. She invites the audience to sing the lyrics of “Give it Back to Me,” as she said, “singing in a crowd is good for your mental health.” She took the time after her set to listen to her fans’ stories while personally selling merch. The whole band showed up to watch Sharp Pins open for them and were some of the loudest in the crowd. 

Closing out their set with a tantalizng encore of their first song “Quit Fucking Around,” Francis of Delirium reminded Chicago they’re a band meant to be remembered. 

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First times often come with a set of expectations. We expect first kisses to be magical experiences, when they are often sloppy and imperfect. We expect first loves to be everything we’ve ever dreamed of when they are often harder than we imagine and softer than what we’ve experienced before. We don’t anticipate first heartbreaks or first losses. When they come they devastate us with the reality that everything eventually ends, and beauty can be found in the aftermath. 

As far as first times go, my first interview exceeded expectations. After fighting through the torrential downpour and flooded Lakeview streets, I made it to Schubas, maybe just as nervous as Bahrich was for her first show. Thankfully, Bahrich and her tour team were kind and welcoming, leading me into a stunning night of genuine conversation and live music. While Francis of Delirum’s sound is punchy and loud, their presence as a band is calming. You can tell they’ve known each other for ages just by observing a few interactions between them. As a unit, they’re caring, communicative, and cohesive. 

As a pre-show ritual, the band gets in a circle and each makes up a dance move to “Something Good Can Work (RAC Remix)” by Two Door Cinema Club. The act brings a childlike feeling to the experience and creates a safe environment where the band can just be as they are. Bahrich tells me that eventually, they would love to get their fans involved in the dance circle. 

Francis of Delirium brings this preshow feeling of safety and childlike joy to their shows. They create a place where people can feel safe to be themselves and become part of the collective. As their first headline show in Chicago, Francis of Delirium exceeded expectations. As a fan, photographer, and occasional writer, Bahrich and her band are a team I am eager to watch flourish.