Gig review: Florence and the Machine @ the Engine Shed

The queue quickly grew outside the Engine Shed for Florence and the Machine, before she played to a packed venue Friday, December 11th.

There was a lot of buzz and excitement for supporting act Temper Trap, whose single “Sweet disposition” was used on Channel Four’s advertisement for their festival coverage this summer. They played a 40-minute set, and received a great reception.

The band has a lot of talent, and their use of instruments is inventive. They complimented Florence perfectly, and succeeded in warming the crowd up before she performed.

Florence finally arrived on stage just after 9pm, and to a roaring reception. She looked slightly ill and tired, but gave an amazing performance regardless. She started things with album track “My boy builds coffins”, to which the audience sang along to, and carried on singing for the majority of her songs.

To really kick things off, she followed with “Kiss with a fist”, her debut single. She gave her all with this song and went wild; she made use of the stage and banged the drum next to her with ferocity.

She mixed things up with songs from her album, as well as b-sides. Singles “Drumming Song” and “Dog Days are over” went down a storm and really riled the crowd up.

She slowed things down for an acoustic version of her song “I’m not calling you a liar”, which truly displayed her singing capabilities and had the crowd singing along yet again.

Florence has a truly haunting presence on stage. She really performs for her audience, and moves about the stage with ballerina-like grace. Though many of her songs are quite chilled and soulful, she makes use of her arms and body, and you can see she’s feeling every note of her songs. It’s a dramatic performance, as well as a musical one.

She finished things off with Candi Staton cover “You got the love”, which got the whole audience jumping, before encoring with “Rabbit Heart (Raise it up)”.

It was an awe inspiring show from the flame-haired vixen that has captured so many of us under her spell this year. She thanked Lincoln for such an amazing show, and promised to visit again soon.