Gig review: Florence + The Machine at First Direct Arena, Leeds

Then there’s the song where she cries out “Jesus Christ, it hurts” numerous times. And – of course – the fact she has only just recovered from the broken foot that put a stop to her tour at the end of 2022.

This frenzied performance is juxtaposed with floating chiffon, delicate poise, moments of perfect stillness and the encouragement to “hold onto each other”.

The two registers Welch operates in leads to a euphoric evening that shimmers with the secret joy of finding a tiny glimmer of light in the darkest of corners. “Heaven is here if you want it” declares Welch in the opening song.

Florence + The Machine’s first album, Lungs, came out nearly 15 years ago and there have been four albums since, meaning the band has a lot of ground to cover in under two hours, but the blend of songs takes the audience from the defiance of King to the chaos of Ship to Wreck and back to the liberty of Free with very little trouble.

It is Welch’s potent mix of mythology and vulnerability in her song writing that ignites the arena; she doesn’t directly address the audience until after the sixth song but she doesn’t need to, an infectious energy has already overtaken the crowd, finding unity in howling out “for a moment, when I’m dancing, I am free”.

There is an emphasis on being present in the moment, Welch requests numerous times for people to put their phones away to enjoy the “collective experience”. She encourages unity and dancing, making up for the lost lonely years and the new normal of life through a screen. “This is a gift” she sings softly as the lights fade, and it certainly feels that way.