Hard Rock Live (Orlando, FL)
06/25/23
Indie-folk band Fleet Foxes brought their “Shore” tour to the Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida for an electric night of music and community. This tour is joined by Uwade, a captivating singer-songwriter who appears on the opening of Fleet Foxes 4th album, Shore. The band performed for the first time in the city since 2018 and truly brought their all to this show.
The crowd for this show was truly a treat – I felt excited and welcomed from the moment I stepped foot in the venue – the energy was the epitome of infectious. I always find it so special to enter a room in which everyone is brought together by their shared love for an artist, and you could feel just that from the fans.
Uwade took the stage about an hour after doors as the crowd had mostly filled in. Her soft acoustic performance helped ease the crowd into the music to come for the night. Although I was initially unfamiliar with her music, I recognized her voice from Fleet Foxes’ recent record. I was very impressed by her performance and even added a few tracks to my library after her set.
It was then time for Fleet Foxes to take the stage! Hearing the powerful acapella opening to “Sun Giant”’ was breathtaking. The band followed this soft opening with a cameo from Uwade, the track in which she appears on Shore, “Wading in Waist-High Water,” began to play. This then transitioned into the next sequential track on the album, “Sunblind.” I would love to give the band some props for this gorgeous opening, it really helped transport the audience into the world of their music. It set the tone for the night and drew the crowd in.
The night continued and the band played a good mix of tracks from their discography but mostly focused on tracks from Shore. It was nice to hear this mix of songs that I’ve known for a long time mixed in with ones that I’m just getting to know. I find that it’s hard for some artists to get a good balance of the two. Of course hits like “Mykonos” and “White Winter Hymnal” played, yet the band didn’t shy away from playing some of their deeper cuts. Overall, this performance felt like a journey through the history of this band and made for a special night of celebrating music.
