10 July 2009 (gig)
23 August 2009
Tonight the Eden Project plays host to two very different acts in Florence and the Machine and Paul Weller,as a part of the Eden Sessions series of gigs. As my first time here, on arriving it's difficult not to be impressed by the amazing setting. The stage is set in a kind of natural amphitheatre and all around are the space age looking Biomes which make for a completely unique and very relaxing location.
First on tonight is South London girl Florence Welch, with her machine in tow of course. The band come on stage followed by Florence in a full length white hippy dress, which in contrast to her bright red hair cuts quite a striking image. The band kick off with the slow building number 'Between Two Lungs' which once it gets going, gives Florence the chance to prove that she can recreate that impressively strong vocal range live.
Next up tonight is 'My Boy Builds Coffins' for the intro of which we see barefooted Florence prancing around to the harp music and pulling shapes. She seems very comfortable on stage and in front of this size audience.It's hard not to conjure up images of a young Kate Bush in Florence's performance, I'm sure she gets this comparison all the time, but it's a compliment, and apparently she is a big fan.
Highlights of the set tonight are the excellent 'Dog Days are over' and her cover of Candi Staton's 'You've got the Love'.It's not all about Florence, The Machine provide an excellent platform to showcase her vocals.
These guys are doing something a bit different at the moment, and the crowd here lap it up, as they are doing everywhere else they play. It won't be long before they're playing venues of this size as headliners.......
After what seems like an age after the support act has finished and the rain is really starting to drive in, the crowd are getting impatient for the modfather to grace us with his presence. The roadies seem to have finished setting up onstage, thensomeone walks on......no, not Paul, it's Eden founder Tim Smit to give us a bit of a talk about the rain forests, fair enough we think, the gig is being staged in support of the Prince's Rain forests project after all......but come on.....after a good ol' lecture from him and another bloke we then get a video message from Charlie boy himself, all very interesting I'm sure but.......bring on the Weller!!!
Eventually, Mr Weller strolls on stage looking immaculate as per usual and launches into 'Peacock Suit', the crowd is beyond ready, sings along and laps it up. From this moment on the rain doesn't matter, Weller sounds on great form, the band are tight and the sound here is great.
Over the years, Weller has been known to be fairly unpredictable when it comes to playing live, he's not so keen on banging out a greatest hits set and will often air a lot of new stuff if he feels like it. Tonight though he seems determined to please the crowd and Everything he plays seems to be a classic, 'Changing Man' and 'The Weaver' sound awesome,and On 'Hung Up' you can really hear the soul in his voice.
He plays a long set tonight, relatively new songs like 'From the Floorboards Up', 'Sea Spray' and 'Come on Let's Go' are already received like old classics, but when he plays Style Council number 'Shout to the Top' the crowd go mental.His backing band are faultless, and recreate the sound of the original record fantastically. This is followed straight away by 'Eton Rilfes' and theres not a soul not dancing in the place.
Midway through the set he punctuates the proceedings with a few slower numbers on the Piano, he plays a couple from the new album, but the best by far is the emotion packed 'You Do Something To Me'. Simply Beautiful.
I've been looking forward to hearing 'Wild Wood', probably his best known solo single, and although I was hoping for a simple acoustic rendition, the hammond heavy Dub version still sounds fantastic.It's nearing the end of the set,time for another Jam song? too right, 'That's Entertainment' surely isn't nearly 30 years old is it?? It still sounds fresh, and the crowd shout the lyrics back at Weller 'till they're hoarse.Lyrics which still ring very true today.
With an encore of 'Mermaids' with it's Sha la la la la singalong chorus and of course, Weller's usual set closer of 'Town called Malice', this crowd couldn't go home any happier, or wetter than they are right now!
An impressive laser show which lights up these unique surroundings accompanies us on our way out.....come back soon Paul......
