Florence + The Machine joined by Kamasi Washington at Barclays Center (pics, video)
Halfway through her set at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Florence Welch — barefoot and draped in a translucent peach gown — stood in front of her eight-person Machine to introduce her next song as a tribute to a “kind and magical woman — who is also a New Yorker!” She tiptoed around the impending namedrop, continuing: “She said when I perform it that means she is here with all of us, so thank you for being here — thank you for being here, Patti Smith.”
But before diving into “Patricia,” Welch noted that while the song is about Smith, it’s also about toxic masculinity — “just the super angry bits in the middle.” She was quick to add: “But there’s none of that here tonight because if you’re here it’s because you probably really believe in women — so join us, rage with us.” And in the most poignant moment of the night, Welch delivered the chorus — “I believe her, I believe her, I believe her” — over and over again, with such weight, that it felt like it was a message to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. [Rolling Stone]
Last in Brooklyn for an intimate release show around the time she released her great new album High As Hope, Florence + the Machine returned for a much bigger show at Barclays Center last night (10/9). She played most of the new album, plus older faves like “Queen of Peace,” “Ship to Wreck,” “What Kind of Man,” “Dog Days Are Over,” “Between Two Lungs,” and more. Crossover jazz great Kamasi Washington opened the show, and he (along with bandmates Ryan Porter and Igmar Thomas) joined Florence during her encore for High As Hope standout “Big God,” which features sax by him on the album too. He stuck around to help Florence close out the night with the massive Ceremonials single “Shake It Out.”
Pictures are in the gallery above. Check out a video of Kamasi playing “Big God” with Florence, alongside her full setlist, below.
The Barclays Center show was Kamasi’s last night with Florence, and he has tons of headlining tour dates coming up. He’ll be back in NYC for a show at Brooklyn Steel on November 11 with openers Butcher Brown (tickets).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_hvpCmtFk0
Florence + the Machine at Barclays Center – 10/9/18 Setlist (via)
June
Hunger
Between Two Lungs
Only If for a Night
Queen of Peace
South London Forever
Patricia
Dog Days Are Over
100 Years
Ship to Wreck
The End of Love
Cosmic Love
Delilah
What Kind of Man
Encore:
Big God (with Kamasi Washington)
Shake It Out (with Kamasi Washington)
—
photos by Ryan Muir
