Live Review: Florence + The Machine - Rod Laver Arena

While noshing on a parma at a nearby pub, we see Florence Welch performing on Dancing With The Stars (the sound is down) and wonder how she's ever gonna make it up the road on time. The wonders of 'live' television, right?

There's no Florence + The Machine CDs for sale in the merch stall, but they do have compact mirrors bearing Flo's image. On the way down the arena stairs, we hear the word “substrata” used in a sentence while locating our seats and decide this speaks volumes about the artist's fanbase. Although Welch has graced this planet for a mere quarter of a century, her dress sense is that of a middle-ager and she also radiates an ancient aura, which goes some way toward explaining her multi-generational appeal. Once her band is in place, Welch's silhouette is illuminated upstage. She fashions a couple of shadow-puppet positions and then swans around from behind the screen in flowing robes and a cape like something out of The Tudors. Only If For A Night is our opener with Welch's bewitching presence immediately felt. A daughter/mother combo sit to our left, the youngest of which films the first song in its entirety on her mobile phone. It obstructs this scribe's view. “How long are you planning on doing that?” The brat drops the f-bomb and then demands for her mum to swap places with her, “I can't sit next to that bitch!” Mum's mortified and apologises profusely on daughter's behalf, but then the feral offspring viciously hurls a lollie wrapper our way. That'll make for an interesting drive home. 

On with the show. Welch loves a grand gesture accentuated by billowing fabric as she skips the length of the stage and then pogos in her mantle. It has to be said that the harp is an exquisite instrument, and Florence + The Machine successfully introduce it to the dancefloor. What a set of Lungs Welch has! She could be this generation's Kate Bush, but minus the dance training. Welch informs us that she's already shed blood during this tour and offers to show us the bandaged foot inside her ballet pump. “This is the first time I've worn shoes onstage in such a long time,” she bemoans. Crowd members are encouraged up on shoulders for Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) and an impressive amount in GA oblige. While Welch's voice is very operatic, there are a couple of notes that, while sustained with full commitment, are slightly under. We're encouraged to dance irrespective of how we may look while doing so by way of introduction to Spectrum and then Welch specifically points out those punters she believes “look amazing”.

“It's so great to be playing back in Australia,” Welch opines, “and to be playing somewhere so big!” She then offers Heartlines to our ears. A heart-warming moment occurs when Welch compliments some young girls who are holding up a banner in the second tier on their “headbands and outfits”. Their excitement could surely be felt from the moon. Although all musicians onstage must compete with Flo's divine, god-given instrument, her BV team deserve honourable mentions: two female background vocalists plus two males – the keyboardist and drummer – lean in toward their mics to become a choir. Welch is the master of ceremonies, instructing us to jump on the count of four, warming us up for future pogoing during main-set closer (and standout track) Dog Days Are Over.

We haven't yet heard You've Got The Love, so stay put feeling confident they'll be back. Welch returns and we're treated to a sublime and understated version of Never Let Me Go, with shimmering keys FX that complement lyrics. Her voice is definitely the star. Attacking a single floor tom to introduce No Light, No Light, Welch looks like a mythological creature. She gazes about the stadium in admiration, which is awash with mobile-phone light. A sustained vocal note during this song is just showing off. What? That's it? Yeah, yeah, we know it's a bonus track, but there's no love for You've Got The Love tonight and we leave feeling ever-so-slightly dissatisfied. So we decide to initiate a sing-along chorus while negotiating the crowd filing down Olympic Boulevard.