Florence Road, Birmingham Show Review

Words by Chloe Williams

Florence Road have delved into the world of the social media platform TikTok and come out of it successful on the other side. And believe it or not, in this day and age, that is quite possibly the most difficult thing to do in the world of music marketing and promotion. 

The Irish indie rock band consisting of lead singer and guitarist Lily Aron, guitarist Emma Brandon, bassist Ailbhe Barry and drummer Hannah Kelly, formed in 2019 in Ireland after meeting in school and first gained popularity due to their covers on TikTok using the viral fisheye lens. Think of a bit of Sam Fender’s “Hypersonic Missiles” and Paramore’s “Hard Times” in their school uniform and you are hitting the jackpot. With the release of their debut single “Another seventeen” in 2022, followed by hit single “Heavy,” the band most definitely used their time in school wisely with various lunchtime concerts, most prominently reflecting back on their very first viral video cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Jealousy, Jealousy.” 

With the release of their first EP, “Fall Back”, in June of 2025, the band received nothing but praise, even more so as they supported Olivia Rodrigo on the GUTS World Tour and performed to their biggest audience yet at The Great Escape Festival in Brighton. So, it comes without surprise that the band’s newest EP, “Spring Forward,” released in March of this year, is a level up from the rest, taking the band to the next step in the industry. With a headline tour of the back of the EP, tracks “Hanging Out To Dry,” “Miss,” “Rabbits Can Swim”, and “Storm Warnings” are the ultimate crowd pleasers, and it is clear their sound has only been honed since the beginning rather than forgotten and surpassed.

With a sold-out headline show at Birmingham’s O2 Institute on Tuesday, 19th May, we need no more proof to state that Florence Road is heading somewhere big. We know the band will not play a venue that small again for a long while, and though we might want to relive the night countless times, it is much deserved. With support from @sirmoio for each night of the UK tour, the energy before the concert was curated perfectly. Truth, nostalgia, angst, and wistful appreciation were combined into casual lyrical forms that captured your attention, drawing you in even as the artist claimed he was ill. There is no better act than that pursued with dedication, and MOIO clung to that from the very start. 

Leading into Florence Road as the ending of Wolf Alice’s “Lipstick On The Glass” commenced, the band started their set with unreleased “7563” that has been teased to be featured on their debut full-length album, playing with the grunge sound and undeniably talented instrumental build-ups. A good choice before moving on to vocally challenging “Figure It Out” that blends everything together to create a raw and unyielding track. Not one moment was unmemorable as time passed, with special mentions for the ending of “White Smile,” the emotional grip “None the Wiser” had on each and every soul in the building, and the moment it slowed down with “Rabbits Can Swim”. With 6 unreleased songs being played throughout the night, the gig prepared everyone for the band’s future in music, though still keeping everyone grounded with the gut-wrenching “Hanging Out To Dry” and crowd interactions like the “Surprise Surprise” dance. 

The band brought it back full circle towards the end of the night with their third single, “Caterpillar”, before saying goodbye to the crowd and leaving everything to settle, before storming back out with what could only be described as the epitome of a fun track: “Break the Girl”. There is no question that STARFREAK magazine will be back to see Florence Road the minute we are able to, as this is clearly only the beginning for this group of 21-year-old musicians. 

Be sure to follow @florence.road on all social media platforms and keep up to date with their rise to the top of the charts! Click here to see the set list.