By the time next March’s tour eventually rolls around, it will have been almost two years since Florence and the Machine last did a proper headlining run of the UK and Ireland. A surprisingly big gap for a relatively new artist, you might argue. But will it be worth the wait?
Of course, there has been the odd festival date here and there – such as Glastonbury 2010 – and even a brief stint supporting U2, which is far from a backseat role. But two years is still two years. So what has the one and only Florence Welch been up to in that time? Working on a new album no less. And not just any album either – it’s the all-important sophomore album. The one that can truly make or break a young artist in the early stages of their career. With any act, their debut release may have earned them a foot in the door of the unforgiving music industry. Indeed, it may have even invited them in and allowed them to make themselves at home for a short period of time. However, they mustn’t get too comfy, because as we’ve seen so many times before, that difficult second album could quickly find them being shown the door.
Fortunately for Florence, it seems that her second album ‘Ceremonials’ has received as warm a welcome as she could have hoped for and is well on its way to catching up with the undeniable success of its predecessor, 2009’s chart-topping, four-time Platinum-selling, Brit Award-winning debut album ‘Lungs’. The near-instant popularity of Florence’s first long-player led her to become one of the UK’s most sought-after musical exports in recent years, introducing her to a huge deal of new-found international fame. This may, of course, be one of the main answers to why she hasn’t been around much during the past couple of years.
The singer’s powerful vocals and equally astounding songs made Florence and the Machine’s music almost impossible to ignore – in a good way – but Miss Welch’s flamboyant appearance and stage presence made the group’s live performances a similarly important success. When Florence and co made their long-awaited return last month at London’s Hackney Empire to launch their latest offering, it was instantly clear from the moment the tickets went on sale – and abruptly sold out – that they had not been forgotten.
The show, which featured 10 out of the 12 tracks on ‘Ceremonials’, was received as well by critics as it was by the attending fans. This was in spite of the fact that the setlist featured very little from Florence’s first album ‘Lungs’. Her Top 10 cover of The Source’s ‘You’ve Got the Love’, for example, was noticeably absent from the setlist. Thankfully, her most well-loved fan favourites ‘Dog Days are Over’ and ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)’, were never going to be excluded and subsequently provided the highlights of the evening.
When Florence and the Machine’s tour of the UK and Ireland finally arrives next year, no doubt we’ll be treated to a more balanced selection from the group’s two albums to date. Not only that, but by March, our initial introduction to ‘Ceremonials’ should have grown into a fully-fledged love affair, just as ‘Lungs’ did the first time around.
Florence and the Machine ‘No Light, No Light’
Florence And The Machine UK & Ireland Tour Dates are as follows:
Fri March 2nd 2012 - The O2 Dublin, Dublin
Sun March 4th 2012 - Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth
Mon March 5th 2012 - Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Cardiff
Tue March 6th 2012 - Capital FM Arena Nottingham, Nottingham
Thu March 8th 2012 - Alexandra Palace, London
Fri March 9th 2012 - Alexandra Palace, London
Mon March 12th 2012 - SECC, Glasgow
Tue March 13th 2012 - LG Arena Birmingham, Birmingham
Thu March 15th 2012 - MEN Arena Manchester, Manchester
Fri March 16th 2012 - Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle Upon Tyne
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