Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Shauna Corr

Florence + The Machine was the medicine Belfast needed

In a place where nothing seems to be going right for ordinary folks right now, Florence + The Machine was the medicine Belfast needed on Wednesday.

The Indie rock band, led by barefoot siren Florence Welch, conquered hearts of all ages at Ormeau Park with a show you couldn't help but leave happy.

Even the violent cloudbursts that lashed revellers throughout the evening did nothing to dampen spirits - it's always darkest before the dawn after all.

Florence transported us to another realm for the evening (Shauna Corr)

Welch, draped in a flowing green gown that perfectly complimented her long red locks, wouldn't have looked out of place in the land of Tír na nÓg.

And for just a few hours she took us all to that perfect otherworldly realm with her as she floated around the stage, belting out hit after hit, with a voice that delivered some much needed soul food.

The show kicked off with Heaven Is Here - and it was - even if just for a little while. Welch moved her way through her impressive back catalogue, including hits like Ship To Wreck which really got the crowd bouncing.

In a move that delighted fans who no doubt put in a serious amount of effort to get to the front of the stage, Florence came down from her high tower to shake and holds hands before standing on a rail as they supported her while she belted out 'need a big god' and sang face-to-face with revellers.

The Dark Days are Over went down an absolute storm, as did her chat with the audience, when she told them to "please put your f***** phone away".

"We all now know what it's like to not be able to be together, to not be able to embrace each other, to not be able to be with the people that you love - so be here in this moment with each other," she added.

"Tell each other that you love each other. Tell each other that you've missed each other."

It was also quite something when she pulled some suitably emotional fans from the crowd to join her on stage as her mermaids, while she performed her relatively new song of the same name.

Flo came, she hugged and conquered Belsonic and is welcome back anytime.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.