Author: michael

Once again Austin City Limits is thrilled to host a rising star: Andra Day. The jazzy soul singer and songwriter gained a ton of attention for her inspirational, Grammy-nominated single “Rise Up” from her debut Cheers To the Fall, and hasn’t looked back since. The Spokane-born/San Diego-raised vocalist and her five-piece band gave us a magnificent performance of soulful originals and some choice covers, which we streamed live around the world.

After a taped intro of the Flamingos classic “I Only Have Eyes For You,” Day came out and the band eased into “Forever Mine,” a show-stopping ballad from Cheers To the Fall that really takes advantage of her range. Without pause, she launched into “Gold,” a peppier, defiant R&B tune that packed a powerful vocal punch and a jazz-soaked piano solo from Sir Charles Jones. Love then took a backseat to social commentary, as Day took on Nina Simone’s chillingly angry “Mississippi Goddamn,” recasting it in a more contemporary but no less incendiary style with a furious guitar solo from Dave Wood. Day introduced the next number as a song about two loves, “one of them true.” Jones gave the dramatic “Honey on Fire” a classically-influenced intro, with Day falling to one knee to let her pipes fly, and the tune segued directly into “Gin & Juice (Let Go My Hand),” a gospel-inflected ballad offering contrast to its immediate predecessor.

Before going into Kendrick Lamar’s “No Makeup,” Day explained the significance of the song to her and turned the hip-hop tune into a groovy soul number. After that groovefest, the band stripped down to Day and Jones, letting piano and voice carry a medley of “Rear View” and “Red Flags.” The band returned to pay tribute to another key Day influence on a medley of Bob Marley’s songs “Is This Love” and “Could You Be Loved,” highlighted by crazy falsetto from Jones (a R&B/gospel singer in his own right). Day then took a moment to acknowledge the terrible shooting in Orlando, Florida, which happened that very morning, and dedicated the next song to the victims. That song was “Rise Up,” her anthem about pulling power from tragedy and finding – and spreading – hope in the worst of times. The audience joined her for several choruses, turning the song from performance to communion.

The set shifted back into upbeat mode for “Mistakes,” a funky celebration of where the titular happenings can take one’s life. Day introduced her band, maestros all, and took them into “City Burns,” a soul/jazz tune that’s as consummate an example of her remarkable talents as anything she’s done. The band kept the groove going as she left the stage to wild applause, but the show wasn’t over yet. Day and her band came back with a surprise: a cover of Queen’s aggressively confident “I Want It All,” altered from its original hard rock arrangement into a slinky, pleading blues ballad – a bravura performance that made the song her own. Day left the stage blowing kisses as Wood took the band out with a burning solo. It was a fitting cap to a great show, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it airs this fall on your local PBS station.

Since the last time they graced our stage in 2011, the UK’s unstoppable Florence + the Machine have become international superstars. In a high energy show that demonstrated dynamic leader Florence Welch’s remarkable rapport with her fans, the band gave us a taping packed with hits and cuts from their most recent, chart-topping LP How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.

Following a pre-taped musical intro, Florence walked onstage resplendent in a long, flowing white gown and barefoot, opening the show with “What the Water Gave Me,” the hit anthem from FATM’s second LP Ceremonials that went from moody to explosive as she moved from standing still before the mic to racing across the stage. Wasting neither time nor energy, the band dove right into the radio ruling monster “Ship to Wreck,” from How Blue. After imploring the audience to stand – and if already standing, to put someone on their shoulders, which a few couples did – Florence led the crowd into the dramatic “Rabbit Heart,” a gospel-like anthem that allowed to her to join the audience in jumping to the beat and bring some thrilled kids to the stage for twirls. She wasn’t done with the crowd afterward, recruiting them as her choir for the massive, Grammy-nominated hit “Shake It Out.”  

Florence returned to her latest record with “Delilah,” which started slow but quickly escalated into another of her patented pop anthems, and one which found her particularly animated as she danced freely across the stage. She then took a quick side trip with “Sweet Nothing,” the dance-flavored pop tune she delivered for British super-producer Calvin Harris. The title track of How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful came next – she explained how the horn-laden pop psalm was the starting point for the album, and how it taught her to love not just one person but everyone and everything. The rapturous vibes continued with “Queen of Peace,” a twirlfest from the same LP. The music’s mood darkened a bit for “What Kind of Man,” but that doesn’t mean it didn’t rock, as the guitar and horns traded riffs and Florence cranked up her distinctive, glorious wail.

Florence ended the main set with “Spectrum,” the Ceremonials anthem that brought the audience to its highest peak yet. She left the stage afterward, but the crowd didn’t want to let her leave, of course, and they made their position clear loud and long. Sure enough, the band returned for “You’ve Got the Love,” another unabashedly feel-good widescreener that became a call-and-response anthem. After that, there was only one way to end the magical show, and that was with “Dog Days Are Over,” her breakthrough hit. It was also the moment that best showed off her powerful connection to the crowd, as they followed her in hugs, jumps and waving portions of clothing like flags. The lovefest finally ended onstage, but will continue this fall when this fantastic show airs on your local PBS station as part of our Season 42.