Last night Florence Welch aka Florence and the Machine aka Ladysmith Black Mambazo (okay, that last part isn't real), with her haunting combination of noisy (yet danceable) chamber pop and appealing combination of pop star theatricality and real-world likeability, brought the house down at Le Poisson Rouge.Florence's debut album, last summer's enchanting "Lungs," was the rare debut album in which every bell and whistle in the production flourishes handbook was employed, but never at the expense of the actual songwriting. These were big, distinctive pop tunes and the glittery production work (by veteran Paul Epworth) only added to the ethereal quality of the record.
It was interesting to see the sound transmitted to the stage, which could have been a dicey proposition. But Florence, draped in a kind of see-through robe, with the light behind her, billowed like a jellyfish underwater. Her voice, as strong and radiant as on the record, blasted forth. Everyone in the house was having a great time (the drunker ones probably having a more fun time than others).
In between songs she would chat with the audience. "What is this, 'Get Florence Drunk Night?'" she asked. At one point she stopped and took off her shoes. Squatting on the stage in an awkward pantomime. It was one of the least 'pop star' moment (I said to my friend "Well, Gaga wouldn't have done that") of the night but it was such an endearing, human moment that you really didn't care. (Later, she did shots with an incredibly intoxicated girl about two feet away from me, who was then removed by the venue's overeager security guards.)
She played much of her peerless debut and one bonus track that was on the deluxe version of the album. I was holding out hope that she'd play the title track to "Here Lies Love," the bizarre and brilliant David Byrne/Fatboy Slim project based on the life of former Imelda Marcos, for which Ms. Welch provides vocals. Sadly that didn't happen.
Last night you got the sensation that you were watching something that you'll never experience again, because she's about to become a huge-ass pop star. (And, indeed, tonight she will be playing the epic Terminal 5 venue.) Rarely do you get to see blossoming, profound talent this up close and personal. If this means being part of the Machine, then baby I'm down with that.
As always your writing is excellent. I particularly like the image of her as a billowing jelly fish. And the aside about the drunk girl doing shots and then getting pulled off by security men was wonderful. I felt, however, that as a blog post, it was a little lackluster. This could have been a newspaper piece. I want to see your blogs really taking advantage of what the web has to offer. Maybe links to other reviews of her work? A You Tube video of her singing? Something!
ReplyDelete...also, there's only one. should be two.
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