High as Hope with Florence + The Machine

If you want the ultimate in a feel-good concert you should feel the love at an upcoming Florence + The Machine concert. It is hard to believe that it’s been three years since we were last at the Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and that this is Florence Welch’s sixth tour Down Under.

Of course, since then this English indie rock band have gone on to blow it out of the water with a golden ticket entry to Glastonbury 2015. So it is no surprise that Florence Welch was en route to her biggest ever Australian show in Sydney.

‘So Wren, when did you go onto be a rock chick’, I hear you ask?

Well, I must admit we are very fortunate to have some family connections with the band. Which saw me rocking up to the portacabin ticket office in the Botanical Gardens, to collect our tickets with a big grin on my face.

Three years ago we had wonderful seats right down the front. You can read all about it here in Fab Florence you’ve got the love, we’ve got the moves!

This year, as I am handed our tickets to standing front stalls, my inner rock chick leaves me stone cold, replaced by a flapping Mother hen. ‘OMG, just look at this!’

These amazing tickets wouldn’t normally be an issue except those regular readers of this blog will know, our son has recently had surgery and has his arm in a sling. What you don’t know, is that he had subsequent emergency surgery right on Christmas to remove the stabilising plate two months early. He is not currently built to withstand a crowd in full Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up). mood.

BUT I’m about to redeem myself to become the coolest Mum about town,

by handing him tickets to the best seats in the house – the bloody mosh pit!

For those who have yet to see Florence’s high energy performance, Florence gallops around amidst the audience in bare feet led by some very skilful bouncers who part the crowd but even so, an accident on Death Road, Bolivia could be the least of our worries!

With both chart-toppers ‘Ship to Wreck’ and ‘Dog Days are Over’, about to be proclaimed, I’m not sure which we will be, but ‘I’m High as Hope’ that we will get out of here in one piece.

Anyway come with me and I will take you on a little wander around.

The Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne:

I love this venue, inspired by LA’s Hollywood Bowl, it has a capacity of around 12,000. Florence was a sell-out. The combination of sloping lawns and 2,000 seats in the bowl create a great atmosphere for Australia’s largest permanent outdoor arena.

Originally established in the 1920s by Melbourne philanthropist Sidney Myer for free concerts with the Melbourne Symphony orchestra, the venue continues to hold allure for performers and audiences alike.

Its many International performers include ABBA, ACDC, The Beach Boys, Bon Jovi, Kylie Minogue, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and not to mention the much loved annual Carols By Candlelight concert. You’ve got to love the Melbourne climate that makes such an outdoor performance arena a real winner.

The Florence Fans:

The Florence crowd is an eclectic and somewhat bohemian chic bunch, but with one thing in common, they all love Florence!

Let’s face it, Melbournites can be as decerning as they want. They have much to choose from on a Friday Summers night. Down the road, the Australian Open tennis is in full swing, next door to this Australia is playing India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Sport, music you are always spoilt for choice in Melbourne.

I have a fruitless attempt to find my son a safe seat but I do find a spot next to the St John Ambulance people, it’s futile on two accounts. Sold-out means jammed packed and not a single seat free and secondly once the music starts everyone is on their feet anyway.

There is a great atmosphere and everyone is feeling the love when Florence tells the crowd to do something radical and put away their phones and hug the people around them. My kids have by this stage left me, swept away on a tide of mosh pit (You Got The) Love.

I’m about to hug the entire St John Ambulance team for being there, in my hour of need should I need it, when a lady next to me yells ‘do you want a hug? I’ve got no-one here either!’

My family are giggling at me from a distance. Just look at Mum, she’s really shaking it out!

Linking with thanks to Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday