Review: Florence and the Machine

Photos by Susan Pfannmuller/Special to The Star

A friend described Monday night’s Florence and the Machine concert as church for women, a succinct distillation that’s hard to top.

For about 85 minutes, Florence Welch and her eight-piece band held in their thrall a near-capacity crowd at Starlight Theater, much of which was female and most of whom appeared to be in various stages of spiritual replenishment.

Welch is a slight woman with a five-alarm voice, one brawny enough to reach the back of an 8,000-seat amphitheater with seemingly little effort. Her voice bears resemblances to a few fellow Brits — Annie Lennox, Kate Bush and Adele — and it’s as dextrous as it is powerful. She can play it soft and soulful as easily as she can unload it into a skyscraping rock anthem.

She and her band, including two backup singers, performed before a five-screen video display that looked like enormous pieces of stained glass. Those screens broadcast various images, often live close-ups of Welch wailing into her microphone. 

There were moments of calm and quiet, like during “Cosmic Love.” But little about this show was subtle or restrained. Welch is a high-voltage performer with boundless energy who likes to use the entire stage as her dance floor. She skipped, spun, twirled and hopped about her pulpit all night, her gown flowing about her — moves that recall a young Stevie Nicks.

A few times, she persuaded her audience into acts and antics: climbing aboard someone’s shoulders; greeting, with handshakes, hugs or kisses, fellow fans in nearby seats (as they do in many church services); and into hopping pogo-like during “Dog Days Are Over.”

The set list comprised four songs off “Lungs,” released in 2009, which has gone gold in the U.S.; the nine others were from “Ceremonials,” which turns a year old this month but has already gone platinum in the U.S. Neither has produced a top 20 single. Nonetheless, her fans were familiar with whatever she served them.

The show opened with “Only if for a Night,” a song about communicating with a spirit: “But she came over me like some holy rite / And although I was burning, you’re the only light.” After that: “Drumming Song,” a love anthem with more religious imagery, starting with that drumming sound, which is “sweeter than heaven and hotter than hell.” Then: “I ran to a tower where the church bells chime / I hoped that they would clear my mind.”

The music is a mix of soul and rock, some of it progressive-folk/rock in the vein of Renaissance. Songs are typically 4 to 5 minutes — or longer, when performed live. It took only 13 songs to fill 85 minutes. 

Of those, “Spectrum (Say my Name)” and “Shake it Out” prompted extra-loud outbursts. But the closer, “Dog Days are Over,” ignited the most joyous response. Its manic, blissful arrangement betrays its cryptic, foreboding lyrics. But given the crowd’s vocal response and willingness to bounce like children, it’s safe to assume that like most of this show, this moment tapped into something spiritual. Or baptismal.

Setlist: Only if for a Night; Drumming Song; Cosmic Love; All This and Heaven, Too; Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up); Spectrum (Say my Name); Breaking Down; Heartlines; Leave my Body; Shake it Out; No Light No Light. Encore: What the Water Gave Me; Dog Days are Over.

| Timothy Finn, The Star

Comments

[DT]

All the BTR hooligans get a gold star for behaving regarding this thread. I know some of you were tempted, but you all minded your manners, so Gold Stars for everyone.

Starlight is an awesome venue.

[EdKatz]

I went with my daughters and had a great time. I was nervous when a group of twenties ladies sat behind us and were talking loudly and carrying on- until the music started. I guess if they really like it they'll be quiet....

[913KCKKID]

Shoulda had Sandra Fluke as the opening act.

[Sue]

What in the world is women in "various stages of spiritual replenishment" supposed to mean?

[Soup Nazi]

NO GOLD STAR FOR YOU!!

-Star Nazi

[Jay]

opening act The Maccabees were REALLY good too! purchased a couple of their albums via itunes as soon as I got home!

[psychic reading definition]

Fantastic work guys im a fan of your website.

[Tim Finn]

it means the music was affecting them, as evidenced by their dancing, facial expessions, hand/arm gestures, etc ...

[Best]

I knew that :)

Could everyone else please try to keep up.