{"id":53987,"date":"2026-04-23T15:37:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T19:37:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/?p=53987"},"modified":"2026-04-23T15:37:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T19:37:33","slug":"florence-road-roadrunner-4-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/2026\/04\/23\/florence-road-roadrunner-4-18\/","title":{"rendered":"Florence Road @ Roadrunner 4\/18"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photography by Deanna Petropoulos<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Review by Deanna Petropoulos<\/span><\/p>\n

Hailing from Bray, Ireland, Florence Road rocked a sold-out Roadrunner show this Saturday night as an opener for The Last Dinner Party. Over the course of their nine-song set, the band proved themselves to be a compelling rising act in the indie rock scene, balancing raw, guitar-driven instrumentation with emotional lyricism.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Their performance moved seamlessly between explosive tracks and more intimate moments, pulling the crowd in with a confidence that felt far beyond their years and leaving a lasting impression well before the headliner took the stage. From the moment the band walked onstage, there was a noticeable shift in the room\u2019s energy, and a sense that the audience was about to witness something more than just a warm-up act.<\/span><\/p>\n

Florence Road formed in 2019, when four childhood friends began writing and performing together in a garden shed, quickly attracting attention. Their recognition grew after their single, \u201cHeavy,\u201d hit streaming platforms in March 2025 and received praise from Olivia Rodrigo ahead of touring with her on select dates of the \u201cGuts World Tour.\u201d Shortly after, in June 2025, they released their debut EP, \u201cFall Back,\u201d featuring the single, \u201cFigure It Out.\u201d While still early in their career, the band already carries a distinct sound that blends nostalgic rock and indie influences with a modern emotional sharpness that resonates strongly live.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band opened with the unreleased track, \u201cNone the Wiser,\u201d a grungy, powerful song that echoes \u201990s and early 2000s rock. As a first-time listener, it instantly grabbed my attention. The song\u2019s distorted guitar riffs and driving energy set the tone for the night, making it clear this wouldn\u2019t be a forgettable opening act. The sound filled the venue in a way that commanded attention even from those unfamiliar with their music.<\/span><\/p>\n

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They followed with \u201cMiss,\u201d a song about being away from someone you love. It begins with a slower tempo and is more dreamlike than the opening song. But it soon builds into a heavy, emotionally charged anthem that had the crowd moving, something not easy for an opener who is still introducing themselves to much of the audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two standout moments came with \u201cStorm Warnings\u201d and \u201cRabbits Can Swim,\u201d showcasing the band\u2019s range. \u201cStorm Warnings\u201d felt like a storm itself. It was anthemic and urgent; its driving rhythm and layered guitars created a sense of momentum that translated powerfully live.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0In contrast, \u201cRabbits Can Swim\u201d offered a moment of stillness, as it was built around a gentler and almost hypnotic sound. The band allowed the song to breathe, letting it settle over the crowd. The contrast emphasized their versatility, proving they are just as effective in restraint as in intensity.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Florence Road closed with \u201cGoodnight,\u201d a fitting final statement. Leaning into their indie sound while maintaining emotional intensity, the song felt less like a definitive ending and more like a \u201csee you later.\u201d There was a bittersweet quality to it, like there was something unresolved yet honest lingering in the room, reminiscent of the closing moments of a 2000s coming-of-age film.<\/span><\/p>\n

The crowd\u2019s reaction was striking. People were jumping, headbanging, and attempting to sing along throughout the set, a rare level of energy for an opening act. While the band\u2019s stage presence remained relatively restrained, they made a clear effort to connect with the audience. At one point, when someone fell in the pit, the band immediately alerted security, creating a sense of care and trust that didn\u2019t go unnoticed. It was the kind of moment that reinforces why live music is a communal force.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the set, I managed to catch a guitar pick, something I\u2019ve never done before at a concert. It was a small but deeply personal moment that made the performance even more memorable, grounding the larger energy of the show in something tangible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Florence Road may have taken the stage as an opener, but they didn\u2019t perform like one. Their set felt intentional, emotionally grounded, and confident in a way that suggests they won\u2019t be playing supporting slots for long. If this performance is any indication, they\u2019re on the verge of something much bigger. In a lineup that already carried strong anticipation, they carved out their own space, turning casual listeners into engaged fans within a single set.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photography by Deanna Petropoulos Review by Deanna Petropoulos Hailing from Bray, Ireland, Florence Road rocked a sold-out Roadrunner show this Saturday night as an opener for The Last Dinner Party. Over the course of their nine-song set, the band proved themselves to be a compelling rising act in the indie rock scene, balancing raw, guitar-driven […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25732,"featured_media":53988,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1895,1525,1523,15,1530],"tags":[517,2708,1584,2709],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53987"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25732"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53987"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53987\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53995,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53987\/revisions\/53995"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}