Last night, we attended the Florence and the Machine, Dance Fever Concert as part of her 8th World Tour.

I headed into town and enjoyed a quiet glass of wine with my book while I waited for Andrew to finish up work and then walked to the Rod Laver Arena. He had booked us a dinner reservation there before the show where we had grand views of the stadiums around the park and the MCG while watching all the people arrive for the concert in their wonderful dresses. Many had garlands in their hair and long flowery dresses to get into the spirit.

The show was amazing and the arena full. Florence and the Machine has been around since 2009 and her band consists of a harpist and violinist too. Her vocals are mesmerising and she puts on a great show.

What I loved is that she was able to direct the audience to not use their phones. It was a refreshing view to look around and see people for certain songs, not using their phones, simply being in the moment and dancing away. For other songs, she’d ask for the phones out to look as if there was candlelight throughout the arena. For the entire hour and a half, she ran, she danced, she twirled around barefoot and I marvelled at how fit she must have been also running across the arena to the back and being put up on the barriers looking up and over the heads of the crowds below.

At one stage I thought it was the rapture. Images on the big screen with all the fans with garlands and fake blood on their faces, reaching for her hand while she took their faces in her hand and wiped away their tears seemed to me, to be rapturous images of Jesus and his followers. It was a tad weird admittedly but nevertheless I had fun watching the crowd and enjoying the show.

I did say to Andrew that I’d never been a concert goer in my life. He’s the one who introduced me to things like concerts, musicals and shows. In my younger years, I had never any interest in seeing live shows. I was put off by having people around me and although I liked listening to music, the experience of how I played music (the images and stories I’d create in my head at home and in my own headspace) were superior to what I experienced in a concert arena with people talking, singing, yelling, dancing around me. It always marred the experience for me.

However, I’m glad that I can now say that I enjoy going out to see them live. It’s a great way to get out a bit and enjoy our city and all it has to offer.

March is packed with festivals, concerts and events in Melbourne. They’re saying that our city is now experiencing more than “before COVID” levels of attendance to events. I’ve even heard that people who left to live interstate due to our lockdowns are now returning to the city because of the abundance of things to do, sport, festivals, events, fiestas, restaurants, bars, experiences are all open and roaring.

Tonight we will see The Proclaimers and next week I have the French Film Festival.

To See The Video (3min):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3u8pzaq5uzxqxrm/Florence%20And%20Machine%20Concert.mov?dl=0