Words by Olivia Ross
Photos by Hope Holmes
“Whatever you’re going through, whatever you’ve been through, just know that I’m right there with you,” Florence + The Machine’s Florence Welch told an excitable Edinburgh Summer Sessions crowd. As the late-August sun began to set and an almost-full moon hung over the Royal Highland Showground, the indie rock artist gave thousands of fans a place to scream, dance and let go.
Opening with ‘Everybody Scream’, Welch appeared almost ethereal in a floaty blue dress, like some otherworldly figure summoned into the gathering dusk, before her magnetic vocals instantly entranced the crowd.
Ahead of ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)’, Welch spoke about the changing seasons and the ancient tradition of making offerings in the hope of a good season ahead. Leaning into her trademark theatrics, she asked anyone willing to become an offering to climb onto shoulders. One after another, bodies rose above the crowd, arms reaching towards the sky, a testament to just how ready fans were to throw themselves into Welch’s theatrical world.
Musically, the show demonstrated just how much range exists within Florence + The Machine’s discography. The delicacy of the harp on ‘Spectrum (Say My Name)’ still provides a captivating contrast to Welch’s instantly recognisable powerhouse vocals, while the rockier guitar and grittier delivery of ‘What Kind of Man’ conjured a darker sense of fury.
Despite dancers twisting and forming strange shapes around her, it was Welch who remained impossible to look away from throughout the set. She had the crowd at her fingertips, moving effortlessly between soft-spoken chats and explosive vocals. Pirouetting across the stage and skipping from one side to the other, she seemed completely carefree, surrendering herself entirely to the music.
There was also something particularly powerful in the way that songs such as ‘Hunger’, ‘King’ and ‘Buckle’ resonated with many in the crowd. The declaration in ‘King’ – “I am no mother. I am no bride. I am king” – felt as if they were words being sung and heard for the first time. Revolutionary in spirit, it could easily have been a communal incantation.
A performance this polished is perhaps what should be expected from a band who have been working at such a high standard for the best part of 20 years. But with tracks like ‘Shake It Out’, ‘You’ve Got The Love’ and ‘Dog Days Are Over’ making as much of a statement in 2026 as they did when they were first released, it was hard not to wonder if Florence + The Machine receive the level of worship they deserve.
It may be a name everyone knows. But after an hour of watching Welch surrender to every moment, and seeing thousands of fans do exactly the same, it became increasingly clear that Florence Welch is one of British music’s defining figures.
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