Review: Florence + the Machine at RAC Arena

Florence + the Machine at RAC Arena
w/ King Princess
Saturday, March 4, 2023

Florence + the Machine have put on some memorable shows in Perth. Headlining Laneway fest in its second year here; memorably proving their staying power by transitioning to stadiums; stylish themes ranging fabulous art deco sets to the candelabras of Saturday's Dance Fever showcase at RAC Arena.

Even taking into account her earliest triumphs, where sets were dominated by first and best album Lungs, it's hard to remember a more complete Florence show than Saturday.

It doesn't hurt that Dance Fever is her best record in a while. Or that she brought along a cult support act in King Princess: The genderqueer role model and indie pop star-in-the-making may not be quite as shocking as Peaches (who'd performed earlier in the week), but she sure made an impression with songs such as Pussy is God. I suspect Peaches would agree.

Florence + the Machine are no strangers to making an entrance. Heaven is Here did just that. Short and sweet, you just knew what Welch and co. were saying: Perth, we're about to take you to your happy place.

Recent singles such as the post-gender King and dance floor banger Free were interspersed with favourites like Ship to Wreck early, but it was the guts to drop Dog Days are Over just six tracks in that proved the masterstroke.

From there things never looked back, and it was impressive to see new songs fit seamlessly next to the classics. Early standouts included Girls Against God and her reworking of the manic pixie dream girl trope for fiery, force-of-nature redheads in Dream Girl Evil.

This was particularly the case later when a magnificent Choreomania had the dance floor heaving, as Florence kept repeating “I just kept spinning and I danced myself to death.” At its best, and just as the packaging suggests, new album Dance Fever is made to be experienced live.

But even with 11 songs from that record, the hits came thick and fast. It didn't hurt that she dug deep with five tracks from Lungs, including deep cuts Cosmic Love and Kiss With a Fist which were both simply huge. She even indulged us in her ever-popular cover of You've Got the Love for the first time in a couple of tours.

This mix of new material and her absolute greatest hits again balanced perfectly at the end of the night as My Love and the ceremonial Restraint finished the main set, making way for perhaps the best encore a fan could've hoped for.

Written about a difficult relationship between alcohol and anxiety, the return of Never Let Me Go to the setlist is a sign that Florence has put those dog days behind her. “Thank you for bringing me back to life!” she shouted with genuine affection for the crowd.

Appropriately then, next was Shake it Out, and we sure shook it out. Florence spinning across the stage with wild abandon, unleashing the force of nature that's her voice out across the arena.

It only left one box left to tick. Frankly by that point she'd done enough, but delivering perhaps her greatest – if not necessarily most popular – song, Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up) showed us the place in her heart Florence has for the song. This “final sacrifice,” the feverish dancing; the Kate Bush of our time in our midst. It was a magical, generous evening.

HARVEY RAE

Photos by Duncan Barnes