By Rebecca Kathleen
Florence and the Machine took to the stage at Edinburgh Summer Sessions on 24th August, bringing their critically acclaimed Everybody Scream tour to the Royal Highland Showgrounds, for a night of iconic tunes we all know and love.
The show follows the indie rock band’s sold-out performance at Glasgow’s iconic OVO Hydro back in February, as well as playing to 100,000 at their most monumental headline show on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage back in 2015.
Scotland’s largest music events promoter DF Concerts hosted an absolutely incredible night of music. The intimate Showgrounds has a true festival feel, with a range of food stalls, merch stands and activities for all to enjoy.
By 5pm, the Summer Sessions gates opened for an array of fans after they’d been queuing for many hours. Soon after, fans were jam-packed trying to get as close to the front as possible, and eventually the barricade wasn’t visible. It was then time for the first support act to grace the Edinburgh stage.
Scottish singer-songwriter Jacob Alon performed a range of acoustic ballads from their debut album In Limerence, including Fairy In A Bottle and Of Amber. The artist even went on to perform an angelic piano cover of Nirvana’s All Apologies, mesmerising the crowd before the second performance of the evening.
Rebecca Lucy Taylor, more commonly known under her stage Self Esteem, delivered a theatrical, high-energy set of infectious pop melodies blended with unique, electronic beats. The highly praised artist even incorporated spoken word into her performance, navigating themes of self acceptance, empowerment and self love. Taylor and her co-performers’ outfits were reflective of the music’s introspective themes and are resonant of The Handmaid’s Tale. She wore a long dark robe that was structured with a white collar and headpiece, referencing the constraints addressed in her songs. Taylor performed fan favourites including F*cking Wizardry, I Do This All The Time, and Cheers To Me alongside theatrical dancers complementing her aura and artistry. It is clear that the music doctorate belongs alongside Florence and the Machine, highlighting severe societal pressures through an energetic and passionate stage presence.
After two mesmerising performances, the ground was filled with collective anticipation. With fans packed together like sardines, everybody awaited eagerly for pop-rock icons Florence and the Machine to take to the stage.
At 8:40pm, the screens displayed a black background and a white symbol highlighting the letters ‘F’, ‘T’ and ‘M’, setting a theatrical space for Welch and her co-performers. Seconds later, reverberated vocals bounced through the Summer Sessions speakers with an atmospheric-sounding acoustic guitar and drums mirroring the heartbeat of excited fans. The show was about to begin.
The heavy drums then intensified into Florence’s hit title track: Everybody Scream. Moments later, Welch and her dancers appeared on the stage, the front woman wearing a blue, long, boho-chic dress with laced bell sleeves that were truly ethereal, and her dancers were in long white maxi dresses, with a black under-layer.
Welch twirled around on the stage, enthralling the audience with her lyrics: ‘Everybody dance, everybody sing, everybody move, everybody SCREAM!’ The crowd cheered, reciting the group’s lyrics in a way only Edinburgh could, before the band performed their classic tune, Shake It Out.
After performing the track that had every audience member moving, Welch thanked the audience:
“Whatever you are going through or have been through, know I am right there with you and I hope I can provide you with a place you can scream.”
The dancers continued on, with graceful movements and vocals that were simply angelic. The band performed major hits such as: Spectrum, You Got the Love, and King, making the Edinburgh crowd dance and belt all at the same time.
Welch later thanked her opening acts Jacob Alon and Self Esteem, and revealed that the latter helped her finish One Of The Greats and Buckle from Everybody Scream: “Speaking of songs from that album, [Buckle] nearly didn’t make it because I thought I was too old to be still writing songs about people not texting me back! I was persuaded quite forcefully by everyone who heard it to release it.”
And then, when the iconic harp intro played, Edinburgh instantly recognised what song was next on the setlist: Dog Days Are Over. Accompanied by the crowd erupting into a collective roar, Welch sang the opening lyrics “Happiness hit her, like a train on a track.”
The frontwoman then requested that the crowd do something most would find very difficult: put our phones away, giving music lovers the experience to be entirely in the moment. Every single concertgoer had their hands in the air, clapping along to the beat.
Florence Welch had the ability to fill the venue with her voice alone, although the atmosphere was definitely elevated by her dancers and live band. The band performed in such a way that it turned the event into a total celebration of individuality and self-expression, with the underlying themes of spirituality, mysticism and the female experience.
Text Copyright 2026 © Rebecca Kathleen/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Photography Copyright 2026 © as credited within the article.
Casey Brockbank 
Alexandra Pullen