Florence & The Machine 26/01/10

Ok, I have to get two things off my chest. Firstly, if Florence is 23 - then Lady GaGa is sweet 16 and never been kissed. I don't care that she resembles Nicki French circa 1998 (I actually find it endearing) but at least pick a believable stage age. Like 37. Secondly, Florence & The Machine are completely fucking brilliant live. Last night's show was one of the most electric pop/rock concerts I've ever seen. I didn't think "Lungs" could get any better but dirty, old Flo breathed new life into the album, taking each and every song to dizzying new heights. After hearing the indie pop Queen's unfortunate Live Lounge cover of "Halo", I had my doubts about her vocal chops but halfway through the opening number (a wicked rendition of "My Boy Builds Coffins") they disappeared. Florence's voice is an amazing instrument - at times raw and rough ("Kiss With A Fist"), occasionally soft and fragile ("I'm Not Calling You A Liar"), always gripping and powerful. There's just something special about this woman. She's got the love (and hype) from critics but also has the talent back it up.

It's hard to select a single highlight from a concert this good but, if pressed, I'd probably choose the band's primal rendition of "The Drumming Song" or their shambolic sing-a-long version of "Dog Days Are Over". Another favourite was "Howl". Can this catchy anthem please be the next single instead of "Hurricane Drunk"? They're both great songs but one is a sure fire radio hit, while the other is a #87 smash in waiting. I guess it doesn't matter when you already have a #1 album. One of the best things about the show was gaining a new appreciation for tracks I stupidly ignored in the past. I finally get the brilliance of "Between Two Lungs", while "Cosmic Love" is quite possibly the prettiest song Flo has ever recorded. As much as I enjoyed the album tracks, it was only fitting that she keep her two biggest hits for the encore. "You've Got The Love" (one of the band's few duds) sounds much less shit live, while "Rabbit Heart" (their best track) was absolutely explosive. I'm trying to think of criticisms but all I can come up with is the relatively short duration (they played for less than an hour). The band was tight, the setlist was pretty comprehensive and Florence was mesmerising. I have a feeling the next time they play Sydney it will be somewhere a lot less intimate than The Metro.

Still my favourite Florence track