First up was The XX. A band long admired by Florence and gaining momentum after a couple of high profile buzz shows particularly at Reading and Leeds Festivals. The band's album has been receiving deserved critical praise and they showcase the majority of what's on offer tonight. The four 20 year olds from South West London arrive on the stage clad in black and its clear from the off that these talented youngsters are in no mood for banter. They open with instrumental, simply known as 'Intro', and the audience is quickly transported to a quite magnificent soundscape of moody guitars and brilliant beats from the drum machine. Conventional they're not, and this is not lost on the crowd, who decide to chatter among themselves instead of watch an incredible band show the rest how it should be done.
'Basic Space' and 'Crystalised' are magnificent in their scope and ambition and you can't help but feel that although The XX sound like no one else, they are so very now and ever so relevant. Comparisons come in the form of the Jesus and Mary Chain but The XX are very much their own band and take influences from Dubstep and Trip Hop, whilst also sounding at times like Interpol. It's very special and the few who listened in the audience know that there is a really strong band on the brink of something very big!
And so to the headliner, Florence & The Machine. Florence Welch, having conquered pretty much anywhere she has set foot this summer, arrives home in London for a show full of emotion, raw power and lets face it, to put the record straight. 'Kiss with a Fist' is a fierce opener and sets the tone for the evening. She flails from side to side and waltzes round the stage with a strong air of confidence rarely seen in such a new artist She knows how good she is and it is reflected back by the crowds reaction (who seem to have woken up now). The songs are belted out with her trademark voice as strong and passionate as ever, which could make any X Factor wannabe finalist look pretty pale in comparison.
'Dog Days Are Over' sees her get the crowd up jumping, be it in the stalls or both levels of seating. And during 'Howl', she splits the crowd into two to see who can howl the loudest basically the polar opposite to The XX in terms of crowd interaction. However, both seem to work. Her interaction and personality makes her what she is and she is on magnificent form. 'Between Two Lungs' sees an extra dimension join her on stage with a string quartet which compliments the song beautifully and closing song Cosmic Love leaves the crowd pleading for more which of course there is. The Encore includes a rousing cover of Candi Staton's 'You've Got The Love' and they finish with an extended 'Rabbit Heart' that sees the crowd jump in frenzied unison.
This may not have been the victory lap that many would have been expecting from The Mercury's but on the face of it, it may have made Welch even more determined in her live shows and subsequent 'difficult' second album and that is not only a frightening prospect but also a very exciting one!
article by: Joe Mercer
published: 30/09/2009 08:45
FUTURE GIGS
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