Review: Crowds instantly fell under the spell of Florence + the Machine in Dallas

by Brenna Rushing

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The statuesque singer even visited the State Fair of Texas this weekend.

DALLAS — With the lengthy Ceremonials tour underway, Sunday night’s Florence + the Machine show at Gexa Energy Pavilion in Dallas marked the second time in five months that Dallas was graced with the exhilarating performer's presence. The lawn was closed for the event, and almost every seat was filled underneath the pavilion.

British indie rockers the Maccabees kicked off the set with a surprisingly ear-perking performance. Their arousing style features three guitarists, giving the energetic group room to layer and texturize their sound. Front man Orlando Weeks sang his heart out, making this one of the best opening bands we’ve seen in a while. If you don’t know them yet, check out “Pelican,” the single off their newest record.

Florence Welch’s statuesque silhouette appeared within the same looming backdrop from their May performance -- and this time they used the sections of the building as a blank canvas, illuminating the redhead’s sharp expressions and various designs to enhance each song. She flew across the stage in an eccentric frenzy, singing the opening number “Only If For a Night” all the while. It was as if she was performing in a dark ballet, wearing a billowy black and gold dress, at times reaching for an invisible object in midair and flinging herself across the stage.

Her mighty pipes maintained her demanding notes. They bounced off the concrete walls like a ball in a pinball machine, shooting across the arena in seconds. The crowd fell under her spell instantly; they ate up everything the giddy vocalist handed out without hesitation. The exuberant audience recited even lesser-known tracks such as “All This and Heaven Too.”

Throughout the evening, Welch shared her experiences in Dallas, saying both bands went to the State Fair earlier that day. Although she didn’t mention the famous food, we tried to picture the model-like artist sampling a deep-fried Oreo or a corny dog without success.

The onstage frenzy never ceased, giving their already resounding, dramatic style an unnecessary boost. Welch disappeared from the stage, jolting across the entire pavilion at one point and singing through a bridge the entire time. “Spectrum,” the whisper-to-a-scream song that recently skyrocketed to success due to Calvin Harris’ remix, sent fans into an uproar, which helped match her unending energy. Her spell had been cast, and it didn’t fade away until the last notes of their encore closer, “Dog Days Are Over.”

We're guessing she'll be back soon.

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