FOO FIGHTERS: Live from Fenway

So I very recently reviewed an epic night with the Foo Fighters in DC for the 4th of July. Everything came together perfectly for the Foo's 20th Anniversary Show. Dave Grohl and company played the hits, as well as their debut album almost in its entirely. You can read the full review here.

But somehow, that show wasn't the Foo concert I was most excited for this year. No...that would be their huge Boston gig at the Beloved Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. (I'm a huge Sox fan) I had purchased presale tix to this back in November, and it was a long 8 months waiting for the highly anticipated weekend.

When it finally arrived, Boston was ready for it. Prior to the show, I walked over to a 'pop up shop' selling Foo Fighters memorabilia, only to realize their was a 20 minute wait to get into the store. The Fenway show was sold out with approximately 35,000 people in attendance. And this was just night 1 of 2 in Boston.

Following opening sets by Boston favorites Mission of Burma, and Mighty Mighty Bosstones, the Foo's came on right at 8pm. As was similar to the DC show, the first half was completely based on Foo Fighters greatest hits. The first 90 minutes was single after single spanning the entire Foo catalogue.



Best moment came in the middle of the set when Grohl crutched down to the end of stage and received some acoustic help from his guitarists. As they did in DC, Foo's chose to perform two of the best songs acoustically with 'My Hero' and 'Times Like These.' The volume at which the Fenway crowd sang 'My Hero' was a true highlight of the night, and may have been the best song.



Lead singer Dave Grohl definitely took some time to talk to the Fenway crowd. He explained how this was the Foo's first stadium tour, and how that was a long time coming. He listed past venues played in Boston, and what the city means to him. He also told a great story of losing his High School Battle of the Bands competition and jokingly asked what the band that won was doing tonight. This was prior to covering Queen's 'Under Pressure.' Overall, Grohl was in a chatty and pleasant mood.



With the injury still bothering Grohl, the guys skipped leaving stage for the encore and played straight through until about 10:45 (just shy of a 3 hour show, and passing the 10:30 curfew). The final closer was 'Best of You,' giving the Fenway crowd one more chance to sign along with the rock band.

The only negative I would say is that since the first half of the show was so focused on the hits, the second half seemed a bit lacking. With the exception of 'Best of You,' they had nothing left to play in the last hour that could generate the same reaction and sing a long as the first 90 minutes. Maybe they could have just spaced out the most popular tunes more.

But really it was an awesome set and even more of an epic night because of the venue. Fenway is the ballpark I grew up seeing Sox games at, so it was definitely a pretty special experience to come back and see one of my favorite bands play there. I won't be forgetting this one and look to see it towards the top of the 'Best Shows of 2015' list.

Concert Rating: 4.5 Stars



SETLIST: 

1. Everlong
2. Monkey Wrench
3. Learn to Fly
4. Something from Nothing
5. The Pretender
6. Big Me
7. Congregation
8. Walk
9. I'm the One (Van Halen cover)
10. Another One Bites the Dust (Queen cover)
11. One Vision (Queen cover)
12. Cold Day in the Sun (Taylor on vocals)
13. My Hero (acoustic)
14. Times Like These (acoustic)
15. Under Pressure (Queen cover)
16. All My Life
17. These Days
18. Outside
19. Breakout
20. White Limo
21. Arlandria
22. I'll Stick Around
23. Let There Be Rock (AC/DC Cover)
24. Best of You

CONCERT REVIEW: Vinyl Theatre from the 662

Playing at the Local 662 last month was young alternative rock group Vinyl Theatre. For those unfamiliar with the name, they hail from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and released their debut album earlier this year, along with a catchy lead single to help promote it. I jumped on the chance to see a notable band in this insanely small St. Pete venue.

Vinyl Theater was in the Tampa Bay Area a few months prior for the 97x BBQ, so they have a developed fan base here. They came on stage and reminded me most of The Griswolds or even a young Walk the Moon. They recently were signed to major record label Fueled By Ramen, best known for representing Twenty One Pilots, so that's a sure good sign.



It's always good for young bands to add in a familiar cover, and Vinyl Theatre did just that in the middle of their set. They spoke about a band from Las Vegas that had inspired them before ripping into a cover of The Killer's 'When You Were Young.' This was the second Killers cover I've seen at a show this year (Walk the Moon at State) and got the crowd singing along nicely.

The second half of the setlist was heavier on the more popular tunes from this young group. The final song of the night was hit single 'Breaking Up My Bones.' This is the song that has put Vinyl Theatre on the map, getting airtime on both Alt Nation and the 97x '8 at 8.'

The main observation I took away from the show was how appreciative the members of the band were. I mean, you could tell they never expected there to be a sold out show in Florida. They even mentioned that with the exception of their home town, this was the best crowd. They seemed very genuine and that was nice to see.

One negative though was the extreme heat of the building. Either the AC unit was broken or just not turned on, but it was hot. The band did their best by tossing out bottles of water to audience members closest to the stage, but they couldn't satisfy everyone. I was towards the back of the building, by the door, and still sweating. I can only imagine the intensity of the heat on stage.

But the guys made the most of the situation and put on an enjoyable set. This capped off a fun concert weekend in Tampa. (other shows by Imagine Dragons and Neon Trees / Coin) I'll say they're definitely worth a listen, and hopefully we'll see them back in Tampa sometime soon.

CONCERT RATING: 3 Stars



SETLIST:

1. If You Say So
2. Summer
3. The Rhythm of Night
4. Take Me Home
5. Shaking in the Dead of Night
6. Lay Your Head Down
7. Tokyo
8. When You Were Young (Killers Cover)
9. Stay
10. Shine On
11. Pillow Talk
12. Gold
13. Breaking Up My Bones

CONCERT REVIEW: A Summer Night with Train

Sandwiched between a weekend of Third Eye Blind shows back in June, was an Amphitheater performance by none other than the beloved Train. I'm no stranger to their live shows. I've seen them everywhere from 20,000 capacity outdoor stadiums to Tropicana Field to intimate settings such as the Mahaffey Theatre for their Christmas Show last December. No matter the venue, Pat Monahan and company always seem to bring down the house.

Their most recent Tampa stop was no exception as Train played a set full of hits to a mostly filled Florida Central Credit Union Amphitheater. (Likely cause from tickets being on Groupon for $15) I missed out on openers Matt Nathanson and The Fray, but got my spot in the lawn just as Train hit the stage.

One of the reasons Train has survived and still has the ability to play such large venues after all these years is due to the vocal ability of Monahan. The singer is an absolute beast, focusing on the vocals and belting out line after line that carries well into the last few rows of lawn space. Pat's antics really make Train an entertaining band to see live. He departed into the crowd for a few songs and even invited audience members on stage to dance with him at different parts of the night.

The other main reason is that Train is a well oiled machine now that knows what the fans want to hear. They play materials from all seven of their studio albums, but they definitely focus on the hits. Even a causal music fan would be amazed with how many Train tunes they recognize. Not one of the greatest hits was missed on the evening, keeping the crowd loud and captivated for the full set duration.

Highlights for myself was poppy '50 Ways to Save Goodbye' right into 'If It's Love' to get the crowd going from the start, as well as honoring their early work with classics in 'Meet Virginia' and 'Drops of Jupiter.' I thought the best vocal performance of the night was hearing Pat sing his heart out on 'When I Look to the Sky.'

The fans were well satisfied throughout the set, and Train even threw in a series of familiar covers to mix things up. This included Aerosmith's 'Dream On' as part of a sing a long encore. Overall, there was no better place to be in Tampa that night for $15. Train is always sounding good and putting on a fun show. I know I'll be buying tickets next summer (or hopefully this winter) for their next stop in Florida.

CONCERT RATING: 3.5 Stars



Setlist:

1. Just a Memory
2. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye
3. If It's Love
4. Angel in Blue Jeans
5. Meet Virginia
6. Free
7. Freedom 90 (George Michael cover)
8. Bulletproof Picasso
9. When I Look to the Sky
10. Calling All Angels
11. Save Me, San Francisco
12. Wonder What You're Doing for the Rest of Your Life
13. The Loco-Motion (Carole King cover)
14. With a Little Help from My Friends (Beatles cover)
15. Give It All
16. Marry Me
17. Hey, Soul Sister
18. Drive By

Encore:
19. All American Girl
20. Dream On (Aerosmith cover)
21. Drops of Jupiter

CONCERT REVIEW: Foo Fighters on the 4th

I could not imagine any better way to spend my 4th of July than by going to RFK Stadium in DC and seeing the Foo Fighters 20th Anniversary Blowout. I mean, the stars just seemed to align with this one. Dave Grohl grew up in DC, so it was a homecoming show of sorts, taking place exactly 20 years to the date from the release of the Foo's debut album. And on top of that, the show takes place in the Nations capital on its Birthday!? Tickets purchased.

Believe it or not, I was a Foo Fighters virgin prior to this show. And although it took 20 years for me to finally see them live, I'm happy about the way that virginity was taken. (With 60,000 other people in a massive stadium)

There was much conversation on what Dave Grohl's condition would be for the show. After all, he had just broken his leg on stage a few weeks prior, and cancelled huge shows including Wembley Stadium and a headlining slot at Glastonbury. Would he be stool bound the entire show? On crutches, not playing guitar? In a wheelchair? I'll admit one of the best moments of the show was finding out...

The mighty Dave came out in an elaborate thrown, complete with swinging lights and guitars. He had his broken leg elevated, but that didn't stop him from playing his guitar. The Foo's surprisingly ripped though best tune 'Everlong' to open the show. The thrown got even better half way through this opener, when you realized it was mobile, and started traveling down the stage section that extended into the crowd. It was wild and so much better than expected.



The opening of the show could only be described as Foo Fighters greatest hits. The setlist below shows that this opening would be enjoyed by even the most casual music fan. It seemed like it wasn't until over an hour into the show where you could take a breath and realize what you were seeing.

Prior to playing 'Big Me,' Grohl took some time to explain exactly why he was sitting in this thrown. He showed a slide show that included clips of his fall and x-rays of his broken leg. He even included an original drawing of the thrown he came up with while drugged up, recovering from surgery. It was a nice connection to the audience and seemed to make everyone appreciate the rock star even more for his effort to be here.

Grohl departed his thrown at one point, and used crutches to hobble over to a chair at the end of the stage. He was joined by Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, both with acoustic guitars, to play acoustic versions of fan favorites 'My Hero' and 'Times Like These.' Hearing theses tunes performed acoustically was magical in the huge stadium. Everyone seemed to be singing together.



The second half of the show was clearly dedicated to the bands debut album. After all, it has been 20 years to the date! Who would have ever thought that the Foo's would get so big? The highlight here was when Dave brought his Mom up on stage before playing 'For All the Cows.'

There wasn't much that the Foo's missed on the night. The setlist was very friendly for all kinds of Foo's fans, hitting the bands 8 best known songs for sure. The fans were appreciative, and more of a laid back group than expected. I was easily able to make my way up about 15 people deep from the stage, in the middle of this massive RFK crowd.

The expected and proper closer was 'Best of You,' which led right into fireworks going off above the stage. The fireworks started at midnight, concluding a near three hour set.

The effort and setlist put together by the Foo's was incredible. This definitely is going down as the best 4th of July of all time, and one of the best shows of the year. I wouldn't have wanted my first Foo Fighters show to have been any other way. And one more shout out to Dave Grohl... What a rock star.

CONCERT RATING: 4.5 Stars



SETLIST: 

1. Everlong
2. Monkey Wrench
3. Learn to Fly
4. Something from Nothing
5. The Pretender
6. Big Me
7. Congregation
8. Walk
9. I'm the One (Van Halen cover)
10. Another One Bites the Dust (Queen cover)
11. Owner of a Lonely Heart (Yes cover)
12. Cold Day in the Sun (Taylor on vocals)
13. My Hero (acoustic)
14. Times Like These (acoustic)
15. Under Pressure (Queen cover)
16. All My Life
17. These Days
18. Outside
19. Breakout
20. For All the Cows (Dave's Mom on stage)
21. Alone + Easy Target
22. This is a Call
23. Generator
24. Best of You

CONCERT REVIEW: The War on Drugs Live from the Ritz

I would have never heard of the band 'The War on Drugs' if not for my go to music blog in Consequence of Sound. The CoS team absolutely loves them, even going as far as to name them their 2014 band of the year. I had to see what all the hype was about and bought a ticket to their show at The Ritz in Ybor last month.

Now the reason for the increase in popularity and recognition for this indie rock band, is due to the success of 2014's Lost in the Dream. This album was listed on many of last years 'best album of the year' lists. (You can read The Only Music Blogs list here)

Now maybe I set the expectations too high, but I was underwhelmed with the live performance. Front man Adam Granduciel came out and sang the songs one after the next. There was some jamming here and there, but nothing I was amazed by. While listening to the album, I thought it was pretty chill background music. Not something I would specifically put on, but something that could fill some spaces in a background playlist. Their live performance evoked the same thought.

Even on their most popular single, 'Red Eyes,' I was not captivated. I looked around the Ritz, at half capacity, and didn't feel that the crowd was much into it either. Some groups were chatty, and nobody seemed to be moving too much or singing along. I think overall, I was just expecting something else.

The music here was solid, but I guess I went in with too high of expectations. I didn't take away too much from the set, and wouldn't necessarily mark these guys as a band you need to see. I'm sure they'd put on a great afternoon set at a festival when more people are into it. But this just wasn't the right venue or night for them.

CONCERT RATING: 2.5 Stars




Setlist: 

1. Burning
2. Arms Like Boulders
3. Baby Missiles
4. Lost in the Dream
5. An Ocean in Between the Waves
6. Disappearing
7. Red Eyes
8. Eyes to the Wind
9. Under the Pressure
10. In Reverse
11. Come to the City
12. Encore:
12. Best Night
13. Comin' Through
14. Suffering

FINAL STANDINGS: #SpringConcertSeason 2015

I'm aware that we're through the first week of August, but I decided to take a look back at shows I've seen this year and try to put an order to the seasons that have passed. I released my #WinterConcertSeason Final Standings back in April, and this is the 'Spring Edition.' (I consider the spring concert season to begin with Gasparilla Music Fest and run through the end of May)

As expected, Shaky Knees Music Fest dominated the list. That was an epic weekend highlighting an overall great season.

Final Standings: 

21. Young the Giant - Live at USF
One line summary: Although I love the band, Young the Giant fall a bit short and play an all too predictable setlist at the USF student spring concert.

20. Trampled By Turtles set at Gasparilla Music Fest
One line summary: The folk rockers from Minnesota play an enjoyable Sunday afternoon set in the hot Florida sun.

19. Dale Earnhart Jr. Jr. set at Gasparilla Music Fest
One line summary: Impressive electro-rock duo put together a dance party, most resembling a Cherub set.

18. New Politics - Live at Florida Southern College
One line summary: The winners of 2014's Next Big Thing return to Florida for a free entertaining show at Florida Southern College.

17. Cherub - Live at State Theatre
One line summary: A year after playing Ybor for free, the Nashville duo return and make it a dance party in St Pete.

16. Modest Mouse set at Gasparilla Music Fest
One line summary: The indie veterans mix old and new while headlining GMF for a sold out Curtis Hixon Park.

15. Dr. Dog set at Shaky Knees
One line summary: The winner of The Only Music Blogs Winter Concert Season Rankings comes back with a fun festival performance.

14. Gogol Bordello set at Gasparilla Music Fest
One line summary: The surprise of the weekend came with Gogol Bordello and his active and entertaining backing band as they closed out GMF 2015.

13. Avett Brothers - Round 1 in Orlando
One line summary: The Avett's pack HOB Orlando and deliver a striped down performance, including multiple duets from just brothers Seth and Scott.

12. Portugal the Man - Live in heaven
One line summary: Playing a late night show in a venue much too small for their popularity, the Lords of Portland remain cloaked in darkness and deliver another solid set.

11. The Kooks set at Shaky Knees
One line summary: Luke Pritchard and the Kooks start off what would be an excellent weekend of music at Shaky Knees Music Fest.

10. Flogging Molly set at Shaky Knees
One line summary: Despite the midday time slot, Flogging Molly turns the crowd into a huge party with moshpits, crowd surfing and wild running around in circles.

9. Old Crow Medicine Show set at Shaky Knees
One line summary: The Sunday sub headliner at Shaky Knees shows off their talent and wins over the crowd.

8. Frank Turner - Live in Hell
One line summary: After an epic Saturday at Shaky Knees, the ultimate nightcap was seeing a pumped up Frank Turner do what he does best in Atlanta.

7. Old Crow Medicine Show - Live at Jannus
One line summary: Coming off a strong performance at Shaky Knees, Old Crow turns it up a level and proves they're one of the best folk bands around.

6. Avett Brothers - Round 2 in Orlando
One line summary: The second night of selling out HOB Orlando proves to be the better show, as Avett's put together a great setlist.

5. Frank Turner - Live from the Underbelly
One line summary: A quick there and back trip from Tampa to Jacksonville is completely worth it as the hardest working man in live music puts on the best show of his I've seen to date.

4. Walk the Moon - Live at State Theatre
One line summary: Ohio based alt-pop group Walk the Moon ride the success of their second album to a wild and packed show at State Theatre.

3. Noel Gallagher set at Shaky Knees
One line summary: The legendary Noel Gallagher mixes his solo materials well with the fan favorites of Oasis, ending with a captivating 'Don't Look Back in Anger.'

2. Avett Brothers set at Shaky Knees
One line summary: Avett's prove to be a worthy headliner, delivering a two hour performance jammed with their most sing-a-long friendly tunes.

1. The Strokes set at Shaky Knees
One line Summary: The Strokes top the list on a very impressive Shaky Knees Fest lineup, and get some assistance from the best crowd I've been in all year.

(and probably the best concert video of 2015)

CONCERT REVIEW: Mumford & Sons Display New Sound

One of my absolute favorite bands is Mumford and Sons. Their albums and live performances are a few reason that developed my concert obsession, and even a step towards the start of this music blog. Their 2009 debut in Sigh No More was an album unlike anything I had heard in recent years. Their 2012 follow up in Babel was that same great form on steroids, creating an album that is in my top 5 favorite records of all time.

Throughout the past 4 years I've been exceptionally lucky to see some great Mumford shows. In late 2012, I saw them play a small performing arts center in Providence, Rhode Island with less than 2,000 people. (Not sure when that will happen next) I saw them next in NYC 6 months later, for their first performance after winning the Grammy for Album of the Year. After that was my first ever trip Lolla to see their headlining set, and then one of the best shows I've ever seen with their St. Augustine Gentlemen of the Road Stopover. It's been quite a run.

So my Mumford travels for round 5 took me to Columbia, Maryland for their Amphitheater gig at the Merriweather Post Pavilion. The Mumford's were rocking a new sound and new style since last I had seen them. They abandoned their signature banjo for their third album, and decided to plug in for an electric based record. It's different for sure.

That album, entitled Wilder Mind, was well on display this night. Marcus Mumford and company performed 10 of the 12 songs from the May release. This included 5 of the first 7 songs on the evening, showing Mumford has very much bought into this new style.

It's a completely different look for the band. They have a touring drummer with them, on a separate kit from Marcus. At times all 4 of the original band members are just jamming on their electric guitars and basses. My personal favorites of the new material is slow rolling 'Monster' and album opener 'Tompkins Square Park.' I'll also give credit to a cool version of 'Just Smoke,' where the band received help from openers The Maccabees.

For me though, the best songs on the evening were the ones from the bands original albums. They obviously have a different feel to them, and the crowd is much more into those tunes. The biggest song a long of the night was by far 'Awake My Soul.' The loudest ovations of the night, I would say were for 'The Cave' and 'Little Lion Man,' both off the debut.

Lead singer Marcus Mumford did a good job of mixing in the older material with the new. 'Lover of the Light' and 'Dust Bowl Dance' both added some familiarity after a series of new tunes. Marcus is one of the most impressive frontmen in my opinion. Not only does he sing, but he's going back and forth with acoustic and electric guitar, while operating a kick drum. He even goes over to the set and plays a full drum kit on a few tunes.

One thing that surprised me was the attitude of former banjo player turned guitarist Winston Marshall. In my past Mumford show experiences, Winston has always been the lovable banjo player who's smiling, getting the crowd going, and making jokes on stage. I'm not sure if he was having a bad night, but he was oddly quiet. There was no interaction between himself and the audience on the evening.

The rest of the gang voiced their appreciation though and put on a great set. The encore was phenomenal. After three favorites, the Mumford's ripped through new single 'The Wolf' as the final song on the night. I believe this was the best tune. The rocking guitars and whaling chorus make it seem more like a punk song with a Mumford appeal. It was a great ending.

Another awesome show from Mumford, but nothing topping that Babel tour. I like the new album, but not as much as those original two. It'll be interesting to see what direction the guys go from here. But still a worthwhile show.

CONCERT RATING: 4 Stars



SETLIST:

1. Lovers Eyes
2. Believe
3. I Will Wait
4. Snake Eyes
5. Broad-Shouldered Beast
6. Only Love
7. Monster
8. Lover of the Light
9. Thistle & Weeds
10. Ghosts that We Knew
11. Tompkins Square Park
12. The Cave
13. Just Smoke
14. Ditmas
15. Below My Feet
16. Dust Bowl Dance

Encore:
17. Hot Gates
18. Awake My Soul
19. Little Lion Man
20. The Wolf

Imagine Dragons Disappoint with Smoke & Mirrors Tour

The story of Imagine Dragons and their rise in popularity is an inspiring one. They're a band that put out a 4.5 star album (Night Visions) and toured religiously until it finally caught on. They played small clubs and were on the bottom of lineup posters just three years ago. Now they're one of the biggest bands around, headlining festivals and performing in arenas every night.

I was lucky enough to see Imagine Dragons when they were just getting going. I saw them play The Metro in Chicago (one of my favorite venues) in what ended up being one of the best shows of 2013. I also love Night Visions. It would have been the best album of 2012, if not for Mumford and Sons Babel being released that same month.

So when Imagine Dragons announced their summer tour, I was excited to see a Tampa stop included. I was not happy however, to see the show was at the 18,000 capacity Amalie Arena. This was quite the change from their first show in Tampa at the Ritz Theater with a capacity of 1,100.

I also wasn't as excited as expected for the show because the tour is in support of the groups much anticipated second album - Smoke and Mirrors. The record was put out in February of this year, and I was extremely disappointed. In my opinion, the Las Vegas rockers abandoned their alternative roots and made a poppy record that would just get radio play.

That record was on full display for their Friday night Tampa show. Imagine Dragons performed 12 songs from Smoke & Mirrors, essentially playing the album in full. Now I know this was the 'Smoke & Mirrors Tour,' but how about a nod to the album and the fans that got you to where you are today?

Instead, the guys just gave minimal nods to Night Visions. They played the four most popular songs from it ('It's Time,' 'Radioactive,' 'Demons,' and 'On Top of the World'). They also played one acoustic verse each from 'Nothing Left to Say' and 'Bleeding Out.' It was nothing close to the attention that album deserves and fans were hoping for. I would have loved to have heard just one of the following: 'Hear Me,' 'Amsterdam,' 'Nothing Left to Say,' 'Round and Round,' or 'Selene.'

Instead, I was listening to a poppy album in a half empty arena. That's right, sales were weak for this Friday night show in the music friendly community of Tampa. The floor was only at about half capacity. Maybe the $90 price point for a floor ticket was one reason, but it's never easy to get into the show when the band is playing at a venue much too large for their popularity.

Another negative of the night was the formation and style that the band chose to lay out. Lead singer Dan Reynolds played 80% of the show from an extended part of the stage that ran down the middle of the floor. At times, it seemed like a solo show for him, rather than a full band experience. I couldn't even tell you any highlights from the other contributing members of Imagine Dragons.

Lastly, one of my favorite things from the first three years of touring for ID, was their unique and constant use of rhythmic drums. They used to have drums of all sounds and sizes scattered across the stage. Each member would go to their drum station constantly throughout the set, and the beats and rhythms they came up with were addicting to watch. With the exception of 'Radioactive,' that fun portion of the show has completely disappeared from their live set.

Overall, this show was a disappointment. There was a great band that put out a superb debut back in 2003 entitled 'Songs about Jane.' That band (Maroon 5) went on to release 4 more albums, with each being worse than the album before it. At the same time though, their radio play and recognition in the top 40 community has increased with each release. I think Imagine Dragons might be the next Maroon 5.

CONCERT RATING: 2 Stars



SETLIST:

1. Shots
2. Trouble
3. It's Time
4. Forever Young (Alphaville cover)
5. Smoke and Mirrors
6. Polaroid
7. I'm So Sorry
8. Thief (acoustic)
9. Gold
10. Nothing Left to Say / Bleeding Out / Warriors (acoustic)
11. Demons
12. Hopeless Opus
13. Release
14. On Top of the World
15. Friction
16. I Bet My Life
17. Radioactive

Encore:
18. The Fall

CONCERT REVIEW: Florence and the Machine

While traveling in Maryland in June, I had some lucky timing and was able to catch a show by the tremendous Florence and the Machine. The gig was at the large Merriweather Post Pavilion. Florence did a solid job with her ticket sales and there wasn't much lawn space left when she took the stage right around 9pm.

Now Florence is having an absolute huge year. She released her third album entitled How Big, How Blue, and How Beautiful to very positive reviews. She also is a constant at the top of festival posters this year, including headlining slots at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and Voodoo Fest. She even filled in as the headliner for the mighty Foo Fighters after Dave Grohl's leg injury at Glastonbury. So the opportunity to see her in a stand alone show was very much worthy the $75 ticket price.

Going in, I wasn't sure how active Florence would be on stage. After all, she had broken her foot just two and a half months prior at Coachella. I thought she may be stool bound or at least just not be doing any running. Man was I wrong.

Right from the start, Florence was active running across the stage. She jumped, sang, and was even in the crowd, climbing over seatbacks by the second song. The energy she had was unexpected but awesome.

The British singer songwriter urged the crowd to be active with her. For her third tune, 'Raise it Up,' she requested that everyone in the audience, get on someone else's shoulders. She then sang the tune and departed into the pit to dance with the fans in the best seats. (She was probably in the crowd 10 different times throughout the night, so the pit members got their money's worth)

The fourth tune was her biggest hit to date with 2011's 'Shake it Out.' Florence had a beautifully slow opening to this massive hit, drawing the audience in, before exploding through the remainder. I swear, after four songs, I felt like I has seen a full set. That's how much energy and emotion went into the first 20 minutes of the performance.

Throughout the set, there never seemed to be a dull moment. For every song that was a bit slower and showed off her vocal abilities, a more up beat number would follow, prompting any sitting audience members to get right back up. I thought her best new song followed 'You've Got the Love' with 'Queen of Peace.' This saw the front women running from one end of the stage to the other.

One of the things that surprised me the most was the strange character of Florence. I mean, she is definitely a bit out there. Multiple times throughout the evening, she asked the audience the strip down and get naked. Now I've seen this same tactic by smaller bands in a club environment (Twenty One Pilots, Cherub, Capital Cities), but I've never seen an artist make this request in a large Amphitheater. It seemed even more odd because Florence's audience has quite the age range.

But she wanted people to strip, run wild and just love everything around them. At one point she screamed out - "Now turn to the person to the left of you....AND JUST TOUCH THEIR FACE!" It was a bit wacky, but her fan base definitely buys into what she's selling.

The show ended in appropriate fashion with an excellent encore. Florence explained she was going to play a tune she rarely plays live, and one that only fans who have been with her since the beginning would recognize. She then departed into the crowd to sing 'Kiss With a Fist.' I've always thought of that as one of her strongest songs, and was very surprised to hear it's not a regular on her setlist every night.

Overall, great night seeing Florence and the Machine. She has the vocals to take over the ampitheather, but clearly the energy to bring the performance to that next level. I'm alright with her headlining major festivals this summer. She's deserved it.

CONCERT RATING: 4.5 Stars



SETLIST:

1. What the Water Gave Me
2. Ship to Wreck
3. Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)
4. Shake It Out
5. Sweet Nothing
6. How Big How Blue How Beautiful
7. Long & Lost
8. You've Got the Love
9. Queen of Peace
10. What Kind of Man
11. Spectrum
12. Dog Days Are Over

Encore:
13. St. Jude
14. Delilah
15. Kiss with a Fist (first time live since 2012)