It’s barely been two years since an “intimate showcase” featuring Florence and the Machine was just a run of the mill gig for the London based band. Indeed, the meteoric rise that has led Florence Welch and her band to this point – the release of their second record Ceremonials – has been a joy to witness. Tonight, a lucky few (including one very lucky guy in the front row who was graced with a hug and a kiss from Florence herself), had the opportunity to intimately witness a band in their prime – thanks to the Debit Mastercard Priceless Music series.
It’s been a little over a year since the band – which now features 9 touring members, plus Florence – were last in Australia. It was during that tour when Florence and her “machines” stood like heroes in front of an overflowing ampitheatre at Splendour in the Grass; the crowd worshiping them like Gods. It was hard to remove the giddy grin off Florence’s face for the entire set. You could tell it was sinking in… this had grown bigger than they had ever imagined. And boy did they deserve it.
Fast forward to November 2011, after endless touring and months in the recording studio, we find a lead singer and band more relaxed about the whole thing. Tonight was just another day in these fabulous lives they have built themselves. There was plenty of grace, but no gushing to be seen, and little chatter. They were there to perform with style and precision, enjoy the limelight and applause, and move on to their next commitment. This expectation of professionalism has been thrust upon them, though they wear it well. It helped that they were surrounded by an inspired art deco stage design, and the sort of lighting that you know will look great on television (the event was indeed filmed – but not sure where it will end up?). It had that whole “this is a very special event” vibe to it, which is always welcome.
As for the music itself, things seemed to get off to a bit of a shaky start with “Only If For A Night”, as the loud mix seemed to favour the second drum kit (handled by bassist Mark Saunders) and overpower the rest of the ensemble – keys, piano, harp, drums, keyboards and three backing vocalists. When Mark returned to the bass, however, for the popular “What The Water Gave Me”, the mix cleared up well and it was smooth sailing from there on out… a spectacular showcase of the the band’s new material.
The fourteen track set featured all but two tracks off the new record, alongside four favourites from Lungs. It wasn’t until “Dogs Days Are Over” that the crowd jumped to their feet (which may or may not have been set into action by one Daily Telegraph music editor) – but don’t blame any lack of energy in the room. We were all transfixed by the wonderful talent that is Florence Welch, and enjoying the opportunity to be among the first in the world to hear these tracks live. Well, for the most part anyway… you may remember “Shake It Out” as a prominent feature of her last tour in Australia. It was also during the reappearance of this track that the crowd was instructed to put on the masks we had waiting for us on our seats. You can kind of see everyone wearing them here:
Just another feature of the night to make us all feel that extra bit special. The highlights for me were “Lover to Lover”, which featured keys, guitar and harp as accompaniment, the wonderful production of “Seven Devils”, a spine chilling, stripped back moment during “Cosmic Love” and set closer “No Light, No Light”. But of course, it all comes down to the beauty of the person and the voice that is Florence Welch. Could you ever get enough? I daresay the answer is an unreserved no… tonight was a night to be marveled, a ‘priceless’ event indeed.
Setlist:
Only If For A Night
What The Water Gave Me
Heartlines
Seven Devils
Cosmic Love
*Harp Interlude*
Lover to Lover
Leave My Body
Between Two Lungs
Dog Days Are Over
Shake it Out
Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
Spectrum
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Never Let Me Go
No Light No Light
