After being postponed from November last year, there was an aura of excitement that could be felt across First Direct arena.
Once the doors opened and security began their checks, there was a wave of people running towards the front to get the best seats. This included one girl who stood next to me who said she arrived at the venue at half past three, five hours before Florence’s performance.
The venue staff were doing crowd control, shouting that if people started pushing, she’d make them wait. I couldn’t help but feel reminded of primary school lunch queues.
We then waited an hour and a half for the opening act to begin, shedding feathers and glitter with each movement. The crowd was a sea of flower crowns, long skirts, lace, and sparkles.
The supporting act was Willie J Healey, who got the crowd going with flamboyant dance moves and boy band vocals.
After his performance, it was time to see Florence. The stage was dressed with feather lampshades and an altar. She came out wearing a floaty cream dress with embellished sparkles – and, of course, sensible footwear.
The setlist was a mixture of old and new songs, including classics such as “Ship to Wreck”, “Dog Days”, and “Kiss with a Fist”. The order of the songs kept us on our toes, jumping from the upbeat “My Love” to the melancholic “Never Let Me Go”.
The night wasn’t completely smooth sailing, with her microphone cutting out early in the performance and somebody fainting and having to be carried over the barrier.
Florence was eager to get close and personal with audience members, making for an emotional and intimate experience. Living up to the name of the album, Florence got people on their feet, jumping up and dancing.
During her performance of “Dog Days”, she took the moment to speak directly to the audience about how she wished for everybody to be truly present and “as we say in South London, put your fucking phone away”.
Her performance of “Never Let Me Go” from Ceremonials was captivating and is the first time she has performed it in ten years.
The band tied the whole performance together, with members switching between an impressive range of instruments and vocals.
Seeing Florence and the Machine live is a real bucket list item for me, and I don’t hesitate to award her performance five stars.
Click here to read my initial thoughts from the album launch.