22 Dec 2011

Florence To Open Harrods' End Of Year Sale

F+TM will perform an acoustic set at the opening of the luxury London department store, Harrods. The event will start at 8:45am on the 27th of December. The performance will also be streamed live at Harrods.com/florence

Missed it, watch again here:



PS Video is quite jumpy throughout WTWGM

7 Dec 2011

Amazon Top 100 of 2011

Ceremonials has been placed at number 13 in Amazon's Top 100 Albums of 2011, it was also Amazon's 71st Best Selling Album. What The Water Gave Me has been placed at number 14 in Amazon's Top 100 Songs of 2011 and Shake It Out was placed at 99.

30 Nov 2011

Wear Your Old Band T-Shirt To Work Day IV




Florence has customised a shirt for a 6Music giveaway!

NME Awards

Vote here!
Suggested Answers:

For the Who Is The Hottest Woman In Music? award click on Flo's pic and rate 10 stars!

29 Nov 2011

Isa Collaborates With Dia Frampton

Another new colleague is Florence + the Machine's Isabella Summers. "She's such a mad-scientist writer. I started playing guitar and we kept it simple," Frampton says of their collaboration, "Bullseye." "She really allowed me to be what I wanted to be and just go for it."


Source

26 Nov 2011

F+TM's 2011

January

Florence is nominated for a BRIT Award in the Best Single category, we discover F+TM will perform on Gossip Girl, Florence sings with Drake during his London gig and Florence was number 8 in Company's cool list.

February

Florence performs "If I Rise" at the Oscars , the Ivan Ink 'n' Isa EP is released, Florence performs with Yolanda Adams, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson and Martina McBride for a Franklin tribute at the Grammys, Isa is featured in Wonderland magazine and we discover that F+TM will start recording their second album at Abbey Road Studios.

March

The F+TM Facebook page passes 1 million likes, we see Tom and Chris will feature on DeLooze's debut album and Florence starts recording with Paul Epworth.

April

Florence designs a label for a limited edition Kiehl's body cream with some of the proceeds going towards Teenage Cancer Trust and we hear about Chipmunk's desire to collaborate with Florence.

May

Florence attends a star-studded private Lady Gaga gig in London.

June

Florence is a part of a Buddy Holly tribute album in which she covers Not Fade Away, Florence is announced as Gucci's new muse and that Florence's US tour costumes will be designed by Gucci, we find out that Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) was the 8th most played song of 2010, Florence covers Nylon magazine and F+TM debut What The Water Gave Me and Bedroom Hymns during their US tour.

July

Florence is a part of Liberty's Liberty Rocks collection, F+TM perform on So You Think You Can Dance and Florence is featured in German Vogue.

August

We see possible tracks for an as of yet untitled album, Florence covers Japanese Vogue, F+TM release What The Water Gave Me, a teaser track and video for the new album and we hear that the new album will be released on the 7th of November.

September

The album release date is brought foward by a week and we discover that it will be called Ceremonials and we see it's artwork and tracklisting, we hear the first single from Ceremonials, Shake It Out, Florence covers Interview magazine and F+TM is nominated for an EMA.

October

We hear F+TM preview some of their new album tracks at a LuvLuvLuv party and at the Creator's Project, Amazon releases 30 second clips of the entire album, the Shake It Out video is released and F+TM perform an intimate show at Hackney Empire playing songs from Ceremonials including a collaboration with Kid Harpoon.

November

F+TM perform on the X Factor, the No Light, No Light video is released, F+TM announce various live dates around the world including an EU, AUS/NZ and UK tour, Florence was nominated for Best Female at the Virgin Media Music Awards, Florence and Isa takeover Annie Mac's Radio 1 show and Florence co-hosts Steve Lamacq's Radio 2 show.

December

Florence covers her first UK Vogue. F+TM are featured in both Amazon's Top 100 Albums and Songs of 2011. F+TM play Spectrum for the first time on TV on X Factor USA. Florence sings the Amy Winehouse song 'Back To Black' alongside Wanda Jackson as part of VH1's Divas.

Florence co-hosts Steve Lamacq Show


Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine co-hosts the Saturday night in, picking the tunes that have inspired the writing of her second album 'Ceremonials'.


Tune into BBC Radio 2 tonight at 11pm to listen to Florence co-host the Steve Lamacq show! If you miss the show you can listen here!

Tom and Chris feature on DeLooze's Album Glass Army and Promo

25 Nov 2011

Annie Mac Takeover

The multi-talented Florence Welch, plus some of her friends including Isabella the Machine, take over from Annie Mac for one night only! Benny Benassi drops a guest mix, plus there's a mini mix from Paul Epworth.


Missed it? Listen here!

Tracklist
You Got The Love - Mark Knight vs Florence + The Machine
Levels - Avicii
Shake It Out (Benny Benassi Remix) -Florence + The Machine
Heaven (Nu:Tone Remix) - Emeli Sande
1 Thing - Amerie
212 - Azealia Banks
I Still Love You - Switch
End Of Love - Jack Beats
Kids ( Soulwax Remix) - MGMT
PHONE CONVERSATION WITH OLIVER XX
The xx Mini Mix: Download here
Rolling In The Deep (Jamie xx Remix) - Adele
PHONE CONVERSATION WITH JAMIE FROM THE KLAXONS
Love For The Sake Of Love - Claudja Barry
Everything Goes My Way (Ewan Pearson Remix) - Metronomy
Champagne Coast - Blood Orange
Animal (Fake Blood Mix) - Miike Snow
One - Swedish House Mafia
Heavy - Dizzee Rascal
Countdown (Isa Machine Remix) - Beyonce
Spectrum - Florence + The Machine
Hyph Mngo - Joy Orbison
I Wanna Be Your Man (Drop The Lime Remix) - Willy Moon
Paul Epworth Mini Mix
Move Your Body (Benny Benassi Remix) - Marshall Jefferson vs Benny Benassi
Close To Me (R3hab Remix) - Benny Benassi vs Gary Go
Kill Humans (Dirtyloud Remix) - Dubsidia
Control (Gigi Barocco Remix) - Benny Benassi vs Gary Go
Ivory (Original Mix) - Congorock
Shake It Out (Benny Benassi Mix) - Florence + The Machine

21 Nov 2011

Virgin Media Music Awards


Florence has been nominated for Best Female at the Virgin Media Music Awards, to vote for her click here!

20 Nov 2011

2012 Tour Schedule

Brazil (Summer Soul Festival)
Jan 24 - Anhembi Arena, Sao Paulo
Jan 25 - HSBC Arena, Rio de Janiero
Jan 28 - Stage Music Park, Florianopolis
UK Tour w/Support from The Horrors and Spector (All except 9th - Theme Park)
March 2 - Dublin, The 02
March 4 - Bournemouth, BIC
March 5 - Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena
March 6 - Nottingham, Capital FM Arena
March 8 - London, Alexandra Palace
March 9 - London, Alexandra Palace
March 12 - Glasgow, SECC
March 13 - Birmingham, LG Arena
March 15 - Manchester, MEN Arena
March 16 - Newcastle, Metro Radio Arena
EU Tour
Mar 23 - Munich, Tonhalle
Mar 24 - Berlin, Columbiahalle
Mar 25 - Hamburg, Grosse Freiheit
Mar 27 - Paris, Casino de Paris
Mar 30 - Cologne, E-Werk
Mar 31 - Brussels, Ancienne Belgique
Apr 1 - Amsterdam, Paradiso
US Tour
Apr 14 - Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara CA
Apr 15 - Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Indio CA
Apr 17 - Grand Sierra Resort, Reno NV
Apr 18 - Mondavi Center UC Davis, Davis CA
Apr 20 - Comerica Theatre, Phoenix
Apr 21 - The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas
Apr 22 - Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Indio CA
Apr 27 - State Theater, Minneapolis
Apr 28 - Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee
Apr 29 - Peabody Opera House, St. Louis
May 1 - Palladium Ballroom, Dallas
May 2 - Verizon Wireless Theatre, Houston
May 3 - Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans
May 8 - Radio City Music Hall, New York
May 11 - Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville CT
May 12 - Borgata Event Center, Atlantic City NJ
AUS/NZ Tour
May 17 - Burswood Dome, Perth
May 20 - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
May 22 - Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
May 24 - Entertainment Centre, Sydney
May 26 - Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
May 28 - Vector Arena, Auckland

11 Nov 2011

Florence Welch admits she loses herself in her music. She also loses her manager’s cell phone often, apparently by Time Out Chicago


When she answers my call, Florence Welch seems to be working in a call center. A din of ringing phones, chattering workers and knocking doors sounds more like corporate headquarters than a New York hotel room. In a way, it is. The moniker Florence + the Machine has become surprisingly prescient for the 25-year-old. Following her smash single “Dog Days Are Over,” the wailer’s aptly titled debut, 2009’s Lungs, sold millions worldwide. Her June gig at the Aragon sold out in a heartbeat. And the redhead just released a cathedral of a sophomore album, the hallelujah-heavy and celebratory Ceremonials. The lush new songs are slow builds. In conversation, however, the bubbly Brit talks a mile a minute.

Sleep figures heavily on Ceremonials. One song begins, “I’ve been losing sleep.” Are you exhausted?
I’ve always been kind of, I don’t know… [To someone in the room] Yeah, I can’t find it here.… I’m a light sleeper. I’ve never been one of those people who can put their head down and suddenly everything disappears. Nighttime is the time I get most scared, anxious or worried. In those darker moments before waking or sleeping is when I feel most, I don’t know, I can turn on myself, and my imagination can take me dark places. I’m always terrified of the idea that there’s something in there with you, be it your fears or an actual apparition.

Has the anxiety grown with fame?
I’ve actually been okay. I was really bad for a while. Doing the first record was bad. This one has been easier. I don’t know whether it’s because I’ve been growing up or things are becoming more settled in my head.

The new album is loaded with gospel choirs and church organs. Are you spiritual, or is that just a sound you gravitate toward?
That has to do with music being a catharsis, something to take you out of yourself and something that can maybe absolve you. I had that moment of just being so tired of myself and these patterns of behavior I’ve fallen into, and I think everyone can be quite hard on themselves, and music takes that out of you, and it’s that moment of clarity that everyone is looking for, where you don’t have a future or past. I feel things in quite an intense way. I’m not actually the most intense person. My ex-boyfriend, this new girl was working with him, and she was like, oh, my God, you go out with Florence, wow, God, she must be really intense, because, you know, the music’s so intense. I understand why people might think that. But he was like, no, actually she’s pretty mellow. But if I feel something, be it love, be it panic, be it joy, be it fear, I feel it in a really intense way. It takes over me, and I can’t control it.


Read more here.

6 Nov 2011

Florence Fashion





Florence wears a custom Roksanda Ilincic dress whilst performing Shake It Out on The X Factor. (MORE TO COME)

X Factor Performance

28 Oct 2011

F+TM On C4

Florence across the BBC

02/11/2011
Listen : Wednesday, 22:00 on BBC Radio 1
SynopsisAnother chance to hear what happened when Grimmy spent the night with Florence and the Machine!
.


31/10/2011
Listen : Monday, 19:00 on BBC Radio 1
SynopsisZane's hottest record is from Santigold and Florence and the Machine supply the album of the week.


Listen : Wednesday, 19:00 on BBC Radio Berkshire
SynopsisShe's the hottest property in British music today and she is officially jealous of Roger Day! Find out why as Florence Welch from Florence + The Machine chats about her new album Ceremonials and how she used to pretend she was a witch/waitress as a child.

The Late Late Show

Ryan Tubridy is joined by musician Christy Moore, Florence and the Machine, journalist Paul Williams, singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan and comedian Neil Delamere. Plus, live updates from the presidential election count


Watch F+TM from 9:30pm on RTÉ One tonight.

Get Music Banner


Buy your copy here

Florence Talks To Steve Lamacq



Next on:
Today, 16:00 on BBC 6 Music
Synopsis
Lammo is joined by Florence Welch AKA Florence and the Machine ahead of the release of her 2nd album Ceremonials.


Missed it? Catch up here.

26 Oct 2011

Later Live... with Jools Holland



Later ... Live With Jools Holland

Tuesday 1 November
10.00-10.30pm BBC TWO
www.bbc.co.uk/later
Tonight Jools Holland has Florence & The Machine in the studio performing songs from brand-new album Ceremonials, the follow-up to the multi-million selling Lungs. Also on the show are the Louisville, Kentucky-based My Morning Jacket who play tracks from their sixth album Circuital.

Born Goumar Almoctar in Niger, Tuareg musician Bombino has had an eventful life. He and his family fled to Algeria after the first Tamasheq rebellion in 1990, and after a spell in California, he was forced into exile in Burkina Faso during the second rebellion. He will be performing a tune or two from his Agadez album.

Further guests will be confirmed closer to transmission.

The Later... website features exclusive content from each week's show at bbc.co.uk/later. Friday's hour-long show is from 11.50pm-12.50am and is repeated on Saturday.

IW

X Factor

Florence and the Machine are due to perform their next single No Light, No Light on X Factor, the show will be on the 6th November 2011 from 8pm on ITV1.

'My heart was going crazy'

Backstage after Florence and the Machine's sold-out gig to launch their new album, Ceremonials, at London's Hackney Empire, Florence Welch talks about her hopes for the record plus what Nick Clegg has to do to win her affections …

You can read a full interview with Florence in this Sunday's Observer








25 Oct 2011

Hackney Empire

Set list

Only if for a night
What the water gave me
Heartlines
Cosmic love
Breaking down (interlude)
Lover to lover 
Leave my body
Dog days are over
Shake it out
Rabbit Heart (raise it up)
Spectrum
---
Never let me go (w/ Kid Harpoon)
No light, no light

24 Oct 2011

Shake It Out Limited Vinyl





The Vinyl Factory and Island Records are proud to present a luxurious limited edition of Florence + the Machine's acclaimed new single.

This is the first of a series of limited Florence vinyl releases with The Vinyl Factory; each cover will showcase the creative collaboration between Florence Welch and Chanel creative director Karl Lagerield, who personally chose Florence as his muse for next season's collection and for whom she performed at Paris Fashion Week this September.

Each cover has been screen printed, silver foiled and hand numbered on pristine white card and features a unique series of photographic portraits personally taken by the fashion legend, which will remain exclusive to these releases.

Each sleeve houses a heavyweight 180-gram white vinyl contained in a silver inner bag. The record itself is the only physical release of 'Shake It Out', and includes the much sought after remix by The Weeknd, which you can listen to here.

Product Details:

* Unique cover photography by Karl Lagerfield
* Screen printed and silver foiled on pristine white card
* Heavyweight 180-gram white vinyl, containing The Weeknd remix and original version of 'Shake It Out'
* Bespoke silver inner sleeves
* One colour silver ink on white labels

Tracklisting:

A. Shake It Out (4.38)
B. Shake It Out - The Weeknd remix (5.17)

Available to pre-order now, exclusively from The Vinyl Factory; released 31 October.

Click here to buy

19 Oct 2011

Florence & The Machine Share No Light, No Light Single Details + Heartlines, No Light, No Light + Spectrum (Web Rips)

Yesterday, Florence & The Machine announced on Twitter that she was in the process of shooting the video for her next single No Light, No Light.
Today, web rips of No Light, No Light, Heartlines, Spectrum have surfaced. We first got to hear these songs during her live performance at the Creators Project in Brooklyn last weekend.Check out the review and videos here.
Do yourselves a favor and get your hands on Ceremonials when it is released on October 31st. I’m pretty certain it’s gonna end up in my top ten albums of the years based on the songs we have heard, I can’t wait to hear more!

FROM HARD CANDY MUSIC

SPECTRUM
Spectrumt by natalietrew

NO LIGHT, NO LIGHT


HEARTLINES
Heartlines by natalietrew


BEDROOM HYMNS
15 Bedroom Hymns by natalietrew

Ceremonials Shirts


HMV are selling Ceremonial shirts for £7.99 click on your size below to buy!
Small
Medium
Large
Extra Large

16 Oct 2011

Creators Project Festival

Last night F+TM performed Creators Project Festival in New York, they performed tracks from the upcoming album 'Ceremonials' as well as other hits from 'Lungs'. Here are some clips (all credit to @carinacontreras unless stated otherwise) of the debuted to the general public last night from the new album:

Spectrum


Never Let Me Go


Heartlines


If Only For A Night (Clip by 18vbarbosa)


No Light, No Light (Clip by 18vbarbosa)

13 Oct 2011

Channel 4 and F+TM

To accompany a range of on-air programme commissions, and online editorial content around the release of Florence + the Machine's eagerly awaited second album - Channel4.com will host a microsite streaming the artist's new album online, a full four days ahead of its UK wide release; following a deal negotiated by MediaCom, between Channel 4 and Universal Music.

The album streaming is planned in support of a range of Channel 4 content - including an exclusive recording of a special intimate gig at the Hackney Empire, which will be recorded later this month, and will air in early November on Channel 4. Florence + The Machine: The Ceremonial from Hackney Empire was commissioned by Head of T4 and Music, Neil McCallum. T4 will air an extended Florence + The Machine interview with Nick Grimshaw, and Channel4.com will host two Florence +The Machine videos, What The Water Gave Me and Shake It Out, alongside a specially commissioned, bespoke commentary from the artist herself, talking through each track, in her own words.

In the first partnership of its kind between a music label, and a terrestrial broadcaster, the second album from the multi-award winning artist will be exclusively available and streamed live in full on Channel4.com for four days prior to its UK wide release on October 31st.

The microsite will be live from October 25th, with a host a range of Florence + the Machine content. The exclusive album streaming will go live from October 27th and fans who register for, and log in to Channel4.com will be able hear tracks first, and free of charge until October 30th..

2 Oct 2011

Preview Ceremonials

Click here to listen to previews on Amazon or listen below!



Live previews from the Luv Luv Luv Lauch:



30 Sept 2011

Florence and the Machine to Headline Creators Project Festival

The VICE and Intel-spawned arts venture dubbed The Creators Project will return to New York to put on the Monster Arts and Culture Festival on October 15 and 16. British power-vocalist Florence and the Machine is scheduled to headline, marking her first live appearance in promotion of her forthcoming full-length Ceremonials.
Florence and the Machine will be joined by Harlem rapper ASAP Rocky, Atlas Sound, Four Tet, John Maus, The Field, Girl Unit and Teen Daze, among others, during the two-day festival at various venues in Brooklyn. Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O will also debut Stop the Virgens, a side project described as a "psycho-opera." A series of film screenings will take place, including a showing of the Spike Jonze-directed Arcade Fire short film Scenes From the Suburbs, and a number of pieces of original artwork will be on showcase.

M.I.A. headlined the inaguaral Creators Project party back in 2010; the venture has been throwing blowouts in cities across the world ever since. Access to the October festival is free with an RSVP. To get a sense of Florence and the Machine's festival-capable pipes, watch her performance of "Cosmic Love" off her debut LP Lungs from this year's Bonnaroo festival below.


Interview



If there were ever any doubts about Florence Welch’s self-possession as a performer, they were quickly dispelled during her set at the Met’s Costume Institute Gala last May honoring the late Alexander McQueen. Backed by her band, The Machine, her improbably red red hair loose to the shoulders, and her impossibly long, lean, five-foot-eight-inch frame draped in an orange-gold McQueen gown, Welch offered up powerful renditions of a handful of songs off her critically lauded 2009 debut album, Lungs, before closing out her set with a blistering cover of David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel,” which she dedicated to McQueen. Welch then punctuated the tribute by running out into the crowd of assembled heavies, which included Karl Lagerfeld, Jay-Z, and Madonna, and sidling up to Paul McCartney, with whom she purposefully locked eyes as she sang, “Rebel rebel, how could they know? / Hot tramp, I love you so . . . ” Welch had never before met McCartney. But he, like most everyone else in attendance, was up and dancing—a testament to Welch’s ability to win fans in even the toughest of rooms.

It was the kind of moment—and the kind of instinct—that makes it easy to understand how so many people have so quickly become so enamored with Welch and her brand of dramatic, monumental pop. The Met gig marked a culmination of a season of high-profile command performances for Welch—she’d also been summoned earlier this year to sing at both the Grammys and the Oscars. Just five years ago, though, she was still an art-school dropout from Camberwell, in southeast London, who was discovered by her manager, Mairead Nash, while belting out an Etta James song in a bathroom at a club. At the time, Welch was working with a rotating cast of musicians as she developed a raw, nascent version of the widescreen art-pop sound that would later emerge on Lungs.

In reading descriptions of Welch, two terms appear over and over: pre-Raphaelite, which is usually used to describe the left-of-center effect of the way her shock of fiery hair frames her prominent features and cream-colored skin; and whirling dervish, which often refers to the bouncing, swaying hippie rain-dance she likes to do when she sings. But neither gets at the eclectic set of ideas and influences that seem to converge in Welch’s work: Lungs is a nuanced but unabashedly outsized record that draws on aspects of classic soul, confessional singer-songwriter music, and British art-pop and post-punk—Aretha Franklin funneled through Carly Simon and dressed up like Kate Bush; her lyrics read like extended journal entries; live, she seems like she’s leading a rapturous spiritual gathering that’s also a clubby performance-art piece; and her predilection for billowy boho tops, sparkly short shorts, and sky-high heels projects both an easy earthiness and a high glamour. Welch’s endearing eccentricity has also captured the attention—and affection—of the fashion world. Gucci designer Frida Giannini has said that Welch served as an inspiration for the house’s Fall 2011 collection; Giannini also created the costumes for Florence + The Machine’s most recent US tour.

Next month, Welch will unveil her as-yet-untitled (at press time) follow-up to Lungs, the first single from which, “What the Water Gave Me,” is a swirling, mounting, moody ballad in the mode of more elegiac tracks from her first album such as “Dog Days Are Over,” “Kiss With a Fist,” and “Cosmic Love.”

On a warm evening in June, director Baz Luhrmann, who helped stage Welch’s performance at the Costume Institute Gala, met the 25-year-old singer and her younger sister, Grace, at the Standard Grill in New York City’s Meatpacking District, where they were decompressing after having miraculously recovered Florence’s cell phone from the taxi in which she’d inadvertently left it behind.

BAZ LUHRMANN: Hi, Flo. How are you? Baz Luhrmann, intense interviewer, reporting for duty. [laughs] I’m holding a Gucci handbag, which I found in a taxi, and I was one of the crowd standing outside of the Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District in New York City, where I saw this striking-looking woman with red hair shaking and trembling . . .

FLORENCE WELCH: In the gutter!

LUHRMANN: Yes, and wearing this fantastic gypsy velvet frock, and there was a lovely person with blonde hair sitting next to her going “Snap out of it! You can survive this! Pull yourself together!”

19 Sept 2011

MTV EMAs

MTV UK & IRELAND / BEST UK & IRELAND ACT
Adele
Coldplay
Florence + The Machine
Jessie J
Kasabian



Vote here!

17 Sept 2011

Shake It Out Remixes - EP




Track-listing:
1) Shake It Out
2) Shake It Out (The Weeknd Remix)
3) Shake It Out (Benny Benassi Remix Edit)
4) Shake It Out (Benny Benassi Remix)

Pre-order from iTunes here.

Interview

14 Sept 2011

XFM

Florence tells XFM that she will be doing some big tours for the next two years.

Click here to listen again.

Shake It Out




13 Sept 2011

Shake It Out

Apparently Zane Lowe will play the next single 'Shake It Out' and an interview with Florence during his on Radio One, so tune in tomorrow between 19:00 and 21:00 this listen to the whole track!

Ceremonials


F+TM next album will be named 'Ceremonials'.

Track-listing:
01 - Only If for a Night
02 - Shake It Out
03 - What the Water Gave Me
04 - Never Let Me Go
05 - Breaking Down
06 - Lover to Lover
07 - No Light, No Light
08 - Seven Devils
09 - Heartlines
10 - Spectrum
11 - All This and Heaven Too
12 - Leave My Body
Deluxe Track-listing:
13 - Remain Nameless
14 - Strangeness & Charm
15 - Bedroom Hymns
16 - What the Water Gave Me (Demo)
17 - Landscape (Demo)
18 - Heartlines (Acoustic Version)
19 - Shake It Out (Acoustic Version)
20 - Breaking Down (Acoustic Version)

You can also now pre-order the album from iTunes here with the What The Water Gave Me video!

"Years and years ago, I saw an art exhibition and there was this video art piece called 'Ceremonials.' It was done in the 70s and was done in Super-8 and it's kind of Coquette-sy--there's that documentary called Coquette about this 70s theatre troup that lives in San Francisco and I came kind of obsessed with it.

"This video piece is all about these processions and it's kind of colour based and everyone's wearing masks and there's all kinds of different colours...coloured balloons...and strange ceremonies going on.

"That word--ceremonies--got stuck in my head. And then went it came to this album which was influenced by hymns and poems and sounds of church bells. There's kind a lot of ceremonial influences and aspects to it, so it seemed to fit."

Quote source

6 Sept 2011

Album Brought Forward

Flo has been busy at work finishing up her second album and the great news is it has been completed ahead of schedule meaning we can release the record a week earlier!



The album will now be available from October 31 in the UK, if you haven't pre-ordered your copy yet head to Flotique now.



It is available in Deluxe, Standard and LP formats plus every pre-order comes with a free limited edition poster print.



We'll have more news on the album coming very soon.

3 Sept 2011

Whatever It Takes




Who are we?

Whatever It Takes is a unique artwork campaign launched by 21st Century Leaders Foundation, charity reg. no. 1061376.

We have gathered 660 leaders: royalty, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, business leaders, actors, musicians, artists, fashion designers, sportsmen and sportswomen and writers.

Many of the world's most celebrated public figures have put their names to our projects. By becoming 21st Century Leaders, these public figures are pledging to do ‘whatever it takes’ to address issues of the 21st Century.

We work with our leaders to assist and encourage a generation of influencers to take ownership, engage in positive action, raise awareness among their communities, and champion the solutions to poverty and environmental degradation.


Whatever It Takes

We are proud to introduce you to the Whatever It Takes collection, featuring ‘symbols of hope for the 21st Century’ drawn by leaders in the worlds of fashion, film, television, music and sport.

The signed artwork donated by each Leader is his or her original work, and has been donated for the exclusive use of the Whatever It Takes campaign which has so far raised over $3,000,000 for charitable projects worldwide.

Whatever It Takes supports 21st Century Leaders Foundation in its work for key global development causes including poverty alleviation, environmental conservation and the protection of children.

If you’d like to learn more about what we do, take a look at our causes.

Flo and Isa in UK Elle









2 Sept 2011

All Access: Florence and the Machine

Aug 1, 2011 9:00 AM, Photos and Text By Steve Jennings

Florence Welch is having a good run, basking in the critically acclaimed success of her debut, Lungs. As for “The Machine,” it can be Welch and a drum kit or a piano, but right now it’s a seven-piece band including long-term collaborators Rob Ackroyd (guitar), Chris Hayden (drums), Isabella Summers (keyboards) and Tom Monger (harp). “I’ve worked with most of them for a long time and they know my style, know the way I write, they know what I want,” says Welch. And she’s bringing them out onstage for her current run of dates. Mix caught the first show of the tour at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, Calif.

Front-of-house engineer Ian Laughton

Front-of-house engineer Ian Laughton

Front-of-house engineer Ian Laughton is manning a Yamaha PM5D, using the onboard reverbs (hall for Florence’s voice and two for drums) and delay. In his outboard rack are a Furman PL-8, a Portico II and an Avalon Vt737sp. “I’ve always been a fan of valve/tube, and I’ve carried my Avalon around the world,” Laughton says. “We have a great crew who make the touring side of it really easy.”

Keyboardist Isabella Summers plays a Roland Juno-Stage Synth and a Yamaha CP300.

Sound On Stage provided the P.A. system (pictured) for the Berkeley show. General manager Wes Norwood explains the hang: L-Acoustics V-DOSC (nine per side), with three dV-DOSCs underhung on each array. Outfill arrays are three ARCs each, frontfills are four JBL MS-28s and subs are L-Acoustics SB218 (six per side).

Guitarist Robert Ackroyd has two Fender Hot Rod DeVille 212 amps. “They have a great drive sound without getting the levels too loud,” says guitar/bass tech Djamir “Penguin” Filho. “Added to the amps are two THD Hot Plates. I can control the levels and have the tubes always ‘full-on’ while keeping the volume correct for the show. We mike each amp with a Shure SM57.” Ackroyd’s footpedals comprise a H.O.G. (harmonic octave-generator guitar synth); Boss Loop Station RC-2, TU-3 chromatic tuner, FZ-5 fuzz, TR-2 tremolo and DD-7 digital delay; DigiTech X Series digital reverb; and Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer.

According to drum tech Michael Noon, Christopher Lloyd Hayden’s drum kit is miked with Shure Beta 91A (kick), Beta 52 (kick), SM57 (snare top) and SM81 (overheads); Neumann KSM32 (snare bottom) and KM184 (hi-hat); Sennheiser 904 (rack, floor toms); and AKG 414s (overheads). Meanwhile, Welch’s floor tom is miked with Sennheiser 904.

Pictured (L-R) at monitor world, from left: guitar/bass tech Djamir “Penguin” Filho, monitor engineer Phil McDaniel, systems tech Eddie “Flash” Valencia and drum tech Michael Noonan.

Pictured (L-R) at monitor world, from left: guitar/bass tech Djamir “Penguin” Filho, monitor engineer Phil McDaniel, systems tech Eddie “Flash” Valencia and drum tech Michael Noonan.

Monitor engineer Phil McDaniel mixes on a Yamaha M7CL-48 using Apogee Big Ben external word clock; onboard, he employs mostly Rev-X programs. Outboard-wise, he’s carrying an Avalon 737SP inline with Florence’s vocal; inline with her IEM mix is an Avalon 747SP mastering EQ/comp. “Consistency is the most important thing for me when it comes to monitor mixing, as we move between tiny club gigs, large theaters, arenas, and even stadiums, where we’ve had some dates with U2,” says McDaniel. “The crew is also ‘all diamonds,’ with a good sense of humor and professionalism.”

Harpist Tom Monger has an Akai MPC 2500 drum/phase sampler, along with a Roland FC-300 MIDI foot controller.

Bassist Mark Saunders has two Mark Bass Classic 300 bass heads; one is a spare. The Mark Bass CL108 Closed Neo cab is miked with Sennheiser MD421s. His foot pedals comprise a Moog Moogerfooger lowpass filter; Boss line selector, TU-3 chromatic tuner and PS-5 Super-Shifter; Markbass Super Booster and Super Synth; MXR Blow Torch; and Electro-Harmonix Big Muff. His snare drum and floor tom are each miked with a Sennheiser 904, and his tambourine and block take AKG 414s


View more photos here.