Florence And The Machine/The Drums/Babe Shadow
Hammersmith Apollo, London
13/05/2010

A stonking line-up take to the stage at Hammersmith Apollo for the first night of Florence Welch’s sold out three-day residency in London. The singer has become so mighty so quickly that she now wheels out two supporting acts to get the crowd going. We enter a half-filled auditorium to find the stage swathed in red light and happy afrobeat guitars as Babe Shadow make an early-bird audience bounce with their catchy bass lines and summer vibe. Lead man Tom Cawte flits between guitar, accordion and keyboard while delivering a warm, melodious vocal not unlike that of Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig – complete with the odd end-note yelp or two…

Next up are The Drums, who just have to be seen live to be believed. Jonathan Pierce camply stalks around the stage, chest puffed with a strangely likeable arrogance while entertaining a crowd, which could almost be there to see them headline. You just know these guys are going to be big as a crowd sings back at them favourites like ‘Best Friend’, ‘Down By The Water’ and ‘Let’s Go Surfing’ from a debut that hasn’t even been released yet.

After a wait lengthy enough to build anticipation to bursting point the queen bee of the night emerges from her silver sphere dressed in black and surrounded by trademark birdcages and harp…. oh and a hefty orchestra and four or five backing singers to boot. Fresh from touring the US it seems Flo has picked up some of that ‘the bigger the better’ mentality and proceeds to project hit after hit surrounded by a spectacle you may expect to accompany true industry divas.
As well as most tracks from the award-heavy ‘Lungs’, the audience – dotted with tearful teenage girls – are treated to the UK’s first live play of new song ‘Strangeness And Charm’ and gently shooed away with a belated encore of ‘Kiss With A Fist’. Fans thoroughly spoilt, and in some cases slightly emotional, this is one show that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

Roxanne Fisher