ACL FRIDAY REVIEW: Florence and the Machine

Florence + The Machine played a spectacular set on the Bud Light stage on Friday evening.

For such an influential group, England’s Florence + The Machine is fairly new to the music scene.

Their debut album, “Lungs,” was released in 2009 and quickly rose to the top of the UK charts.  In 2011, their second album, “Ceremonials,” debuted at number one in the UK and number six in the U.S.

Songs like “Dog Days Are Over” and “Shake It Out” quickly made their way in to pop culture, being featured in several American television shows and films.

The group is led by Florence Welch, a fiery redhead who seems to perform not only for the audience, but to the heavens as well.

Throughout her show at ACL’s Bud Light stage, Welch would look upwards and gesture towards the sky as her black and green gown flowed behind her.

Florence + The Machine was passionate yet playful.  Welch demanded the audience lift others on their shoulders and dance.  She even held a dancing contest in which the best dancer won a kiss with the keyboardist.

The band is quickly becoming a standard in the genres of rock and soul and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.