I think my wife was a bit more excited about making a picnic for the show than the actual show. She loves Florence but the show was at the Greek Theater. So it meant easy seating and we could bring food. She made salmon and cherry tomato salad, skirt steak sandwiches with arugula and blood orange dressing, fruit salad, toffee’d chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of peach and vodka lemonade. Pretty amazing right? We got more than a few envious comments from everyone around us as ate and watched Hanni El Khatib start the night out with some punky rockabilly… Sorry, you’re here about Florence right? So were the hundreds of lil Florences running around the sold out show. I had no idea she was so popular.

When the sun went down, so did a giant black curtain which covered the entire stage. We couldn’t see anything. The hundreds of lil Florences in the crowd couldn’t take it anymore. You could taste the anticipation in the air. (or was that chocolate covered strawberries?) When the curtain fell, the screams began. And so did an amazing show.

Florence has a ridiculous set of lungs and a voice to rival any banshee. It was so sweet and yet so powerful. While she may sing like a banshee, she is def a fairy at heart. There were flowers all over the stage and mic. And all the twirling around in her long flowey dress and skipping around the stage all night, she reminded more of my 10 year old niece (with her obsession in all things princessy and girly) than a rock star. It was sweet and endearing as if my niece somehow switched places with Florence for the night.

But that voice — wow. It was just amazing.

Florence & the Machine at the Greek Theater in Berkeley CA. Performing “Dog Days Are Over”, “Cosmic Love”, “Between Two Lungs”, “Drummer Song”, “You Got the Love” & a new song called “Lay Me Down” from their upcoming new album.