Willie J Healey provided an excellent set opening up for Florence. The Hydro was at least half full when he came on the stage, the Glasgow crowd appreciating Healey’s musical talents with what can be described as a jazz/funk set. The singer/guitarist worked his way through a setlist including latest single Thank You from his EP that was released in January. Healey played a total of six songs starting with Sure Feels Good, Dreams, For You, Why You Gotta Do It and finishing with Fashun. The Glasgow crowd then gave him a rapterous send off.
The half hour break saw the arena fill up gradually and by the time Florence took to the stage the standing area was jam packed. The Dance Fever Tour had began in November 2022 but unfortunately Florence Welch broke her foot on stage and the tour was temporarily cancelled until January 2023. The band took to the stage at 8.40 and began the blistering two hour set with Heaven is Here, a song from the 2022 album Dance Fever. The stage set up looked fantastic, with bright chandeliers hanging from above the stage and the light following Florence Welch whichever part of the stage she was in at the time. And she would certainly get around that stage, her energy being electrifying and the crowd loving every minute. Florence would go on to play the majority of the Dance Fever album, 11 tracks in total from it including Choreomania, Daffodil, Dream Girl Evil, Free and King.
An extended version of Dog Days Are Over – a song from the album Lungs – had the crowd singing every word and Florence was definitely back to her full fitness as she used the full stage to connect to her audience. A very special part of the show was the performance of Never Let Me Go – a song from the album Ceremonials – which the singer mentioned the band hadn’t played for around ten years. Florence made an emotional speech before the song and the arena was in silence as they listened to her every word and during the song there was what seemed like a spiritual connection between the artist and the crowd, with a lot of raw emotion. That’s what the fans of Florence + The Machine have come to expect over the fifteen years or so the band have been together.
This was followed by Shake It Out and the final song Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up). During the last song Florence left the stage and ran all the way around the perimeter of the packed standing area while being protected by a few security people. An unbelievable end to the show which the crowd appreciated all around the arena. It’s true what they say: Nobody does it quite like Florence!
Track Listing:
- Heaven is Here King 3. Ship To Wreck 4. Free 5. Daffodil 6. Dog Days Are Over 7. Girls Against God 8. Dream Girl Evil 9. Prayer Factory 10. Big God 11. What Kind Of Man 12. Morning Elvis 13. June 14. Hunger 15. You Git The Love 16. Choreomania 17. Kiss With A Fist 18. Cosmic Love 19. My Love 20. Restraint 21. Never Let Me Go 22. Shake It Out 23. Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up).
Review by Alan Brown
