Review: Florence + The Machine at Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, January 18th, 2019
Ever since Florence + The Machine first formed back in 2007, the music world has absolutely adored the eclectic, sweeping songs that singer Florence Welch and her group of talented musicians deliver.
Having released their fourth album, High As Hope, just last year, fans were clearly eager to catch these stunning tunes live, with almost every show on their Australian tour having sold out months in advance.
On Friday night, thousands upon thousands of devoted fans made their way into Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl to catch Florence + The Machine on their first Australian tour since 2015.
Check out Florence + The Machine’s ‘Sky Full Of Song’:
With excessive heat eventually turning into a wet evening in Melbourne, many music fans might have been forgiven for thinking the Sidney Myer Music Bowl might again look like more of a waterpark than a concert venue.
However, as the grey clouds loomed, dedicated fans descended upon the open-air venue, with many dressed in flowing, summery clothing and flower crowns, clearly taking fashion inspiration from Florence Welch herself.
As the evening progressed, the first act of the night appeared before us, with Marlon Williams and his four-piece band The Yarra Benders taking to the stage.
Kicking things off with the soulful ‘What’s Chasing You’, Williams quickly showed his worth as a stunning support act, with his mesmerising mix of folk, blues, and rock being well-received by the crowd.
Tearing through tracks like ‘Dark Child’ and ‘I’m Lost Without You’, Williams and his band seemed to defy categorisation, switching and shifting through genres with ease, and taking every person in attendance on a wild musical journey.
After tearing out the hearts of everyone in the crowd with a gorgeous solo performance of ‘When I Was A Young Girl’, tracks like ‘Vampire Again’ and ‘Party Boy’ showcased Marlon Williams’ ability as something of a rock idol.
With truckloads of charisma and hip-shaking moves that would’ve made Elvis blush, Williams’ behaviour on stage is something all aspiring musicians should aim for.
After eight amazing tunes, Williams and the Yarra Benders bade us farewell with an extraordinary performance of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ ‘Portrait Of A Man’.
Starting out slow before ending up in a deafening roar of drums, guitar, and most importantly, applause, Williams left the audience feeling as though they had truly witnessed something they’ll remember forever.
Check out Marlon Williams’ ‘What’s Chasing You’:
As Marlon Williams made his exit, a flurry of excitement appeared on stage, with a mass of people whipping back black cloth to reveal an expansive wooden stage setup. With bright lights visible between wooden slats, instruments were everywhere, with everything from a harp to a violin staring us down, teasing us with what was coming next.
Following a brief intermission, the stage became bathed in copper-coloured lights as Florence + The Machine took to the stage. Backed by an eight-member band, Florence Welch commanded full attention of the audience as a lone spotlight followed her to the front.
As applause poured out of everyone, the opening notes of ‘June’ filled the arena, and it was clear that this evening was going to be something special.
With her ethereal presence and penchant for running and twirling across the stage, Florence Welch was something of an otherworldly being, with her huge vocals serving as a stark contradiction to her softly-spoken interactions with the crowd.
“Hello Melbourne,” she gently said at the end of ‘Between Two Lungs’, “Would you like to dance with us?” Soon, Florence led a huge singalong with 2011’s ‘Only If For A Night’.
Following a brief discussion of how important Australia has been to the band, Florence expressed her surprise that a group of Australians are keen to take directions from a self-described “English ghost”, as she requested the audience hold hands for the start of ‘South London Forever’.
Check out Florence + The Machine’s ‘South London Forever’:
As the show went on, Florence + The Machine took the time to treat their audience to a stunning selection of fan favourites, performing a powerful rendition of the Patti Smith-inspired ‘Patricia’, before taking us back to where it all began with a ‘no phones allowed’ version of ‘Dog Days Are Over’.
After dipping intro tracks like ‘100 Years’, ‘Ship To Wreck’, ‘Sky Full Of Song’, and ‘Cosmic Love’, the evening’s energy ultimately reached its high point with a mesmerising rendition of ‘Delilah’.
Starting the track rather normally, Florence Welch soon found herself running to the back of Sidney Myer’s seated section, singing to the crowd in the lawns, before making her way between the stands and belting out her lyrics to members of the audience.
As security guards tried their best to keep up with Florence’s high-energy excursion, fans couldn’t get enough, singing their lungs out to the phenomenal track as they attempted to keep track of the singer’s whereabouts.
Soon, Florence found herself back on stage, venturing her way into the front of the crowd to perform ‘What Kind Of Man’, before bidding us farewell, but wanting so much more.
Check out Florence + The Machine’s ‘What Kind Of Man’:
After a thoughtfully short encore break, Florence + The Machine returned to the stage to the sound of rapturous applause. As we wondered what this encore might contain, fans were soon treated to only the third performance of the band’s latest song, a soulful number ostensibly titled ‘Moderation’.
Despite having only made its debut earlier in the week, fans already knew the lyrics, singing loudly as Florence Welch continued to perform from the front section of the crowd.
Following a performance of ‘Big God’ (complete with endless confetti), the band wrapped things up with a stunning rendition of ‘Shake It Out’. Requesting the audience to be her choir, Florence looked absolutely ecstatic onstage as she sang her heart out, and her legions of dedicated followers sang right back to her.
Undoubtedly, fans returned this energy on the night, completely overjoyed at the sheer presence of one of music’s most joyous figures. With powerful singalongs and one of the most mesmerising performances you’ll find anywhere, it’s clear that three years between tours for Florence + The Machine is far too long to wait.
Florence + The Machine continue their tour at Geelong’s A Day On The Green on Saturday, before wrapping up their Aussie tour with shows in Brisbane and Sydney. Check out details below.
Check out Florence + The Machine’s ‘Shake It Out’:
Florence + The Machine Australian Tour 2019
Saturday, January 19th
Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong, VIC
Tuesday, January 22nd
Riverstage, Brisbane, QLD
Wednesday, January 23rd
Riverstage, Brisbane, QLD
Saturday, January 26th
The Domain, Sydney, NSW
Florence + The Machine @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne 18/1/18 Setlist
‘June’
‘Hunger’
‘Between Two Lungs’
‘Only If For A Night’
‘Queen Of Peace’
‘South London Forever’
‘Patricia’
‘Dog Days Are Over’
‘100 Years’
‘Ship To Wreck’
‘Sky Full Of Song’
‘Cosmic Love’
‘Delilah’
‘What Kind Of Man’
Encore:
‘Moderation’
‘Big God’
‘Shake It Out’
