Florence + The Machine Premieres Promotional Short Film; Plays Barclays Center June 14

By DONNA BALANCIA

Florence + The Machine will play Barclay Center in Brooklyn on June 14 as part of the How Beautiful tour.

She recently premiered the new short film, The Odyssey, on the band’s website and held  a live Q and A through the Florence + The Machine Facebook page afterwards.

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The film, directed by Vincent Haycock, highlights the music from Florence Welch’s  latest album, including the hits “Ship to Wreck,” and “What Kind of Man” and “Queen of Peace.”

As Welch, 29, has said, she has had a rough time in life and love over the last couple of years and it’s clear through the film she was working that period out.

The film depicts a couple torn apart by a car crash, which apparently is symbolic for a breakup.  She is tormented throughout the picture, volleying between dream and reality.

Los Angeles and Mexico locations were used, and “What Kind of Man” was shot at Chateau Marmont. The locations were representative of where she stood in her heartbreaking relationship.

“We’d done extravagant videos with loads of hair and costume changes and I was ready to do something raw,” Florence said. “Vince didn’t tell me to do much, he let stuff happen.”

“I think that when we approached this, she was coming to the new album from a  personal point … she came with me with very personal explanations of the songs. I think we kicked off the conversation with her explaning the real life odyssey she’s been living through. The imagery and listening to the songs came naturally.

“This year I decided I wanted the boundaries between the performer and the real person to be less defined,”  Florence said. “Tthrough the process of getting famous you get scared, you build walls.”

The film involves a great deal of interpretive dance, there are many fighting scenes and Florence said she was influenced by Erte and Klimt.

“Ship To Wreck” is shot in her home, and she admits she had some issues with the the intense scene being shot in her home.”

“That scene stressed me out to watch,” she said. “I was jumping on the table.  But I learned through this that if it feels uncomfortable you should keep going.”

During the Q and A, when prompted, the fans’ questions came fast and furious through Facebook, proving the social media application could fulfill Mark Zuckerberg’s dream of encouraging people to post video and be more interactive with the platform.

Upbeat it is not, and a bit self-serving it certainly is.  But the film is a good insight into the world of Florence + The Machine.