WASHINGTON – Midway through her liberating anthem“Dog Days Are Over,”Florence Welchaddressed her flock.
“I want you toexperiencethe song,” she said, before mimicking how concertgoers watch through a phone lens to capture the perfect photo or video. “I don’t care about your shot right now. I care about your experience.”
The direction – which was visibly obeyed – is nothing new for repeat attendees ofWelch’s shows, who have endured the agony of a phone-free hand for two minutes. Instead, they blissfully bounced to Welch’s biggest commercial hit, excavating the emotions they’d absorbed for the past two hours.
Welch’s desire for a shared experience came during the encore of the D.C. stop of Florence + The Machine’sEverybody Scream touron Saturday, April 18. But really, Welch’s entire show was about a communal encounter – whether rooted in pain, anger, joy or freedom – with the sold-out crowd of 14,000 at Capital One Arena.
From the moment she rose from beneath the stage floor, barefoot and with hands gracefully fluttering for the opening“Everybody Scream,”the catharsis that would occur during the next two hours was apparent.
A tornado in a sheer black lace overlay inspired by the Stevie Nicks Collection, this high priestess of baroque pop skipped down the catwalk, a bare leg peeking out from her billowy chiffon, to cast a spell during “Witch Dance.”
The majority of the set pulled from her darkly spiritual“Everybody Scream,”released on Halloween (natch), and 2022’s intoxicating“Dance Fever.”But Welch, who turns 40 in August, didn’t ignore highlights from her nearly 17-year career.
Review:Demi Lovato proves she’s back and stronger on It’s Not That Deep tour
Florence Welch tells fans, 'Know that I am with you'
Under her curtain of auburn bangs, Welch looked beatific as she urged the crowd to“Shake It Out.”She also kneeled to reach out and make eye contact with fans ringside as “Big God” lifted off in a cloud of crashing cymbals and pogoed incessantly during“Free,”a song that sounds like anxiety set to a chattering rhythm.
Welch’s voice is as unique as her music, thick with sadness one verse, airy and crystalline the next. Her vibrato commanded “Which Witch,” while the long-held note at the end of the harp-infused“Cosmic Love”was a master class in vocal control.
Advertisement
Her healing vibe extended to her banter with the crowd. “Whatever you have been through, whatever you are going through, know that I am with you,” she said, her defined cheekbones topping a wide smile.
Welch’s four female dancers were as integral to the performance asher five-piece band(aka, The Machine). The dancers, clad in swishy black skirts, snarled as they crawled down the catwalk on all fours through clouds of dry ice for “Seven Devils.” For the second half of the show, they donned white ensembles for the emotionally exorcising “Howl,” scampering across the stage to lay at Welch’s feet like cubs sprinting to their she-wolf.
Rock returns to the spotlight for the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class with Billy Idol among the eight new additions.The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and air on ABC and Disney+ in December. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Joy Division/New Order
" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Meet the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees
Rock returns to the spotlight for the2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fameclass with Billy Idol among the eight new additions.The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 at thePeacock Theaterin Los Angeles and air on ABC and Disney+ in December.
Review:Bruno Mars unlocks the ultimate feel-good show at tour opener
Florence Welch confronts a painful period in her life
The affection between Welch and her dancers was mutual, evidenced in the most wrenching moment of the show.
“I pray that I get through this next song,” she said. “I think every time it’s going to get easier. And I don’t know if it does.”
The song, “You Can Have it All,”references the miscarriage(a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy) Welch suffered in 2023.Watching her sing the piercing lyrics, "I sit in salt water, call in a vision of my daughter” and “Dug a hole in the garden and buried a scream,” was genuinely affecting, as was her group hug with her dancers at song’s end.
The sleek staging, highlighted by a moving lighting beam that ran the length of the catwalk and three overhead video screens that faced each side of the arena, benefited from frequently frantic lights that added more drama to Welch’s story songs.
She’s an emotional enchantress who makes an effort to sing into the crowd, not a void, and also takes time to literally walk the oval circumference of the stage to interact with her devotees. The set-closing“Sympathy Magic”offered a truly beautiful moment as Welch touched the hands of her predominantly female and frequently sobbing fans, often pulling them in for a hug.
Welch and The Machine kicked off this tour in the U.K. in February before landing in North America in early April. They’ll be on the roadthrough the end of summer, which equates to a consistent stream of introspection.
The level of intense feelings that anchor the show requires mental fortitude, yes, but also open-hearted candor. Luckily for her fans, Welch excels at both.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Florence + The Machine skillfully balance sadness, joy – Review
