Videos, performances, photos and interviews from FATM's early career. From 2007 to 2009 shortly after the Lungs release. No pantsuits or majestic capes to be found here.
Made a playlist. This album is more British folk horror compared to Dance Fever's dark fairytale so I tried to reflect that.
Florence said this album was meant to be terrifying, so I added some of the most unsettling horror tracks I could think of. Got some medieval ambience for sitting in the Drink Deep Tavern (Yeah I turned to turn to videogames for this). Some moodier songs for wandering around the peak district moors. A few more for being chased/chasing through a forest. She leaned heavily into the whole witch thing on this album so I've got a few more theatrical songs that remind me of witchdance. Struggled with more blunt relationship songs but I did what I could (open to suggestions).
I've put a read more tag in case someone doesn't want setlist spoilers but wow, she's better than ever. I think her cosmic love tour gig is still my favourite for the wildness, but I was 16 and nothing is ever as good as when your 16. This was a technically better performance and you can see she was going for a deliberate horror theme with the unexpected song choices.
The dancers really add to atmosphere and the lighting was great. She has really come such a long way as a performer. The one downside of having such a strong song catalogue means that there's always going to be someones favourite missing (HBHBHB enjoyers: consider yourselves warned).
Huge crowd, I didn't think she had such a big following in central Europe but the crowd seemed to know every word. Old fans even got a little shout out lol.
Paris Paloma was on first but I only caught half. Wasn't bad but the sound mixing seemed off, I couldn't hear her well. Didn't have the same experience with FATM though, only during big crecendos did I have trouble.
Everybody Scream was launched into straight away, far more explosive than the album version which always felt like it lacked punch to me. For the first time ever she has dancers and they just go wild here.
Witch Dance is another song that outshines the album version, particularly the second half of the song.
Shake it out went by pretty quickly, but she tackles it better her than she has previous times when I've seen her, when she used to have a tendency to let the audience or choir handle things.
Seven Devils was a song I never thought I'd hear. An unreleased song from the second album that was barely played on Ceremonials' own tour and was often picked out by critics as the song where Ceremonials began to drag. Well it suits this show, the lighting and writhing dancers are perfect and she nails it.
Big God was great, another fave of mine but I was surprised at how little the dancers did for this song. I mean it already has it's own routine but she was bouncing around herself for most of this while they sat down or lay on the floor.
Daffodil was fine. Seemed a bit strange here as a choice though, I can see why other songs were chosen but an album only DF track?. Performance wise it's fine like I said but idk I have other tracks I'd have preferred.
Which Witch is one I'm so glad to have finally caught. And it was touching how much of the crowd knew the lyrics for what is, at the end of the day, a deluxe version demo. Highlight. Only gripe though was that the crowd was roaring so much it cut off the final chant.
Cosmic Love was brilliant as always. Tom even got a little solo which was cool to see. I thought she might have done an acoustic version but thankfully she went for all in drums. Absolute classic, may it never leave the setlist.
Spectrum was great as well, another song she performs far better now than in the past, where again she used to leave the heavy lifting to the crowd or choir. Not anymore and it's all the better for it. Was a bit surprised to see the dancers mostly absent for this one, seemed a natural fit.
Never let me go replaced YCHIA. I kind of rank them on a similar level and I suspect the change may be due to how emotionally difficult it would be to perform. It was a real crowd pleaser at any rate.
Hunger replaced Music by men thank fuck. It was fine but the tempo seemed different. All the people singing along beside me kept getting caught out by it.
Buckle was unfortunately still here. The part about having to sing it forever because everyone loves it sounded like a threat lmao. Anyway, obviously I do not like this song, and this didn't make me change mind. At least it's short.
King was pretty bouncy and fun.
The old religion is one of my faves off of this new album and it was great. Kind of felt a little rushed but maybe I just wanted more of it.
Howl is another deep cut. It certainly suits the theme. So cool to hear it again after all these years. She dropped it as it was supposedly was very hard to sing but if it is you certainly couldn't tell. The dancers went crazy for this one too. Another highlight. Really shows the strength of your back catalogue when an album only filler song can be so good.
Heaven is here was expected and really suited the theme. Best part of the dancing.
Sympathy Magic is another song that shines better live. She went down into the crowd for what felt like an age though at the end. Maybe I just had shit seat FOMO.
One of the greats was really well done. The guitarist got a little cool solo bit while she emerged from the crowd. Didn't hold back at all with the rage. Highlight.
Dog days are over was surprisingly not the last song. It was great as always but felt a little rushed along. I'm just grateful she's stopped asking people to hold hands. This is deffo better at a festival, it's awkward being asked to jump in a stadium.
Free is another song I'm not too keen on but it was ok. Seems to have replaced rabbit heart in a way, you pick it up and put it down instead of raising it up.
And love was a deliberate pace breaker. It was a nice send off and Tom really gets to let loose here.
Incredible show at the end of the day with a solid and unexpected setlist. This was a real love letter to long term fans and it was wonderful hearing old songs get a new lease of life.
Unfortunately for me, my two favorites off of ES were absent but hopefully I'll get to hear them some day (although I have higher hopes for Perfume and milk rather than Kraken). Rabbit heart finally getting the heave ho kind of sucks, it's far stronger a song than free imo but you can't have everything. Glad YGTL was left out, she has so many songs of her own now she doesn't need to rely on that one. And now she's rescuing songs for from the depths I'd love to hear blinding again one day or my boy build coffins or dare I say, Remain Nameless.
It was so good I may just see if I can catch her again before this tour ends.
