Florence Welch became visibly emotional during her headline performance at Leeds Festival on Friday, as she celebrated her 40th birthday in front of thousands of fans.
The Florence and the Machine frontwoman was one of six headliners at the northern festival this weekend. Rather than spending the day with friends and family, she chose to mark the milestone on stage, delivering a show-stopping performance of hits dating back to her 2009 debut album.
Birthday messages and a 'ritual' for the crowd
"I cannot think of a better crowd to spend my birthday with," the emotional singer told the audience. She added: "[Happiness], a beautiful summer – do we have any other sensitive Virgos in the crowds?"
She then invited fans to take part in a "ritual," asking: "As it's my birthday and we're coming to the end of summer, as the seasons change, we sometimes make offerings. Would anybody like to make an offering? Would anybody like to be an offering?" She explained that those willing to be an offering would need to get on someone's shoulders so "the Gods can see them get closer to heaven."
Following the release of her album Everybody Scream on Halloween, Welch had previously spoken about exploring spiritual and folk horror, which shaped the record. At Leeds, she asked the crowd to join her in a "small ritual," saying: "It's hard, and it's frightening, but do you trust me?" She encouraged fans to put away their phones and smart devices and be present in the moment, which the crowd obliged.
Weather warnings for Reading and Leeds
Despite weather warnings and brief spells of rain, the Leeds crowd danced along to Welch's biggest hits. On Saturday, she is due to perform at Reading Festival, where revellers are being encouraged to wear appropriate clothing due to the weather.
The Met Office said Reading Festival is expected to "experience a notably unsettled few days," with "heavy showers and thunderstorms possibly developing with warm and humid air helping to fuel some intense downpours." Temperatures are expected to stay slightly above average, with conditions likely to remain changeable from day to day.
Similar weather is forecast for Leeds, with the Met Office saying: "Low pressure moving in from the south-west is forecast to bring an increased risk of heavy showers and thunderstorms. Although temperatures should remain a little above average, any warm spells are likely to be interrupted by frequent showers and the potential for locally torrential downpours."
Set list highlights
Florence's set included: Everybody Scream, 'Shake It Out', Which Witch, Spectrum, Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up), You Got the Love, Howl, What Kind of Man, Heaven Is Here, One of the Greats, Buckle, Sympathy Magic, Dog Days Are Over, and Free.
