Florence and The Machine - The Enmore 05/08/10

Florence's side shows have been eagerly awaited by all fans who couldn't make it to Splendour in the Grass this year and shows sold out immediately. There was so much demand they announced a few extra shows which played in the days following this Enmore gig.

The support act was Ernest Ellis from Sydney who played an interesting mix of soulful dream-like melodies with slow and determined drum beats. Very cruisey but more suited to a Sunday afternoon than a Thursday night. He closed his set with a great rendition of the only track I've heard from him on JJJ Heading for the Cold.

At 9.30 Florence made her entrance and my goodness what an entrance it was! She sure has a flare for the theatrical side of performing! They opened with Drumming Song and shook the audience violently from their lull between acts. Florence wore a flowey feminine lacy cream dress which flared out as she spun and danced gracefully all over the stage through the entire gig. I've been present at a Florence and the Machine gig when they played the Laneway Festival earlier this year, but being of the shorter persuasion I didn't actually get to 'see' them. This time.... I SAW!

She played hit after hit including My Boy Builds Coffins, Hurricane Drunk, You've Got The Love, Raise it Up, Kiss with a Fist and Dog Days are Over including, amongst many others, my favourite, Cosmic Love which saw a little set change as they lowered a gorgeous fairy light backdrop to accompany the romantic song. Changing it up a little, she got very creepy with a shawl and strobe lights representing lightning during her song Blinding. I've always liked this song although it disturbs me with lyrics like: "No more dreaming of the Dead, as if death itself was undone. No more calling like a Crow for a boy, for a body in the Garden." She also played a few new tracks which sounded amazing! Cant wait for the next album to come out.

Whilst my ears did feel like they were bleeding as Florence blared into the mic which I wished the sound guys would turn down just a tad, if I was ever to go deaf, I couldn't think of a better way to do it!

With her amazing vocals and high energy, Florence was unstoppable as she danced from beginning to end with the help of her fantastic band; her Machine. I heard that 15,000 people decended on the natural ampithearter to watch them play at Splendour and I felt so lucky to see her at The Enmore, such an intimate venue which apparently holds just over 2000 at capacity. She blew my ears off but it was well worth it!