Alexandra Savior photo by Georgina Hull
Any other day, Manchester Club Academy is a cozy and intimate venue which I have enjoyed many gigs at over time- however, during the insane heatwave that occurred over this weekend, the heat had me feeling more like I was in a hellish chamber rather than its usual charismatic standard. Needless to say, it was an unexpected turn when I found that I would be transported to medieval Gaelic highlands during late autumn. This is the feeling that comes to play when listening to support Florence Rose Broomfield. Florence is widely recognised for her aesthetics & modelling based presence via Instagram and Pinterest, so it’s almost unfair that she could exhibit such a haunting, angelic voice on top of resembling an enchanting fairy. Like, geez- save some talent for the rest of us! Broomfield, alongside violinist Marika Tyler-Clark create such an ethereal atmosphere with a catalogue of unreleased folksy tales of woe, allowing the audience to find a sense of solace among the disgustingly thick heat we’ve all been experiencing. The smoke curling around the two resembles that of cool dense mists rolling over the mountainous landscapes, when accompanied with otherworldly vocals and instrumentals. Their brief, yet encapsulating performance offers the audience a temporary experience of escaping into realms of fantasy, magic and heartache.
A fan favourite, ‘Cupid’ follows, continuing along the theme of the ending of a relationship turning sour. Though this song feels lighter instrumentally, Savior’s vocals are steeped in devastation with a vintage feel, similar to that of a lounge singer during the Great Depression. ‘Cupid’ reminds me of the pathetic fallacy I envisioned while reading Of Mice and Men; the ruthless power of the sun reigning down on us feeble humans during times of hardship, just as Savior reigns down on the object of her wrongdoings. The next song on the set list is a new upcoming track which is currently unreleased, titled ‘Go To Hell’. It’s an interesting tune that grapples with the turmoils of rejection facing the complications involved in the early stages of an unspoken relationship yet has a somewhat playful and more upbeat energy than its predecessors. The message it sends is harsh yet is delivered gently on a pretty platter of rose petals to soften the blow.
The set continues with a cohesive culmination of tracks blended across her 3 latest albums; Beneath The Lilypad, The Archer and Belladonna of Sadness, with songs holding a suspenseful tension that echoes through the tracks ‘Let Me Out’, ‘Vanishing Point’ and ‘The Archer’. The guitar in these pieces really stood out to me, as they were played with a certain hint of twang and cadence that feels like the score to an old western movie. You could imagine it playing in the background as the protagonist and antagonist cowboys stood facing 20 feet away from each other to participate in their standoff.
Then comes another fan favourite – and my favourite – ‘Girlie’. Which was just as gut wrenching and hypnotic to experience live as it was when listening to it digitally, if not more so. ‘Girlie’ is a calm, measured slow paced ballad, yet has the ability to allow the listener to empathise with the sometimes mundane experience that women and girls face within an unrelenting industry; despite many of the audience never having experienced these circumstances as the consumer.
Alexandra Savior photo by Georgina Hull
Although Savior’s discography generally maintains an aura of sadness, anguish and hopelessness, her character in between songs is somewhat of an opposite of that. She showed so much warmth and grace towards the audience, with a sweet, humble and bordering on shy demeanour.
The set then proceeds with the following tracks, varying in different subcategories of feeling: ‘Audeline’ has a spooky, almost halloween-ish ambience; ‘Crying All The Time’ exhibits a raw, emotional vulnerability paired with wailing guitar riffs; then ‘Send Her Back’, which while one of the more upbeat tracks, had a sonic sense of deviousness and fatalism. The set then drew to a close with beautifully orchestral and symphonic, ‘Goodbye, Old Friend’ which was a bittersweet yet fitting end to the performance, given its’ title.
Since no show is complete without an encore, Savior finishes her performance with ‘Can’t Help Myself’ and ‘But You’. Both of these tracks seem to follow the overlaying story telling of the tragic afflictions that come with experiencing intense, yet unhealthy relationships. Both songs delve into emotions such as adoration and fixation, while also honouring the traumatic aftermath that follows. The choice to make the first song of the encore, ‘Can’t Help Myself’ was an ingenious song placement, as the tune describes the addictive nature of romantic toxicity, meanwhile literally coming back for more, after what was intended to be the end.
That being said, while the performance was a display of songs of intense sorrow and longing, it actually created an environment of emotional safety. The audience was able to empathise and relate to this type of songwriting, and to then approach it with a sense of catharsis and escapism, instead of having it bottled up and weighing the listener down as one might expect it would. It showed that despite experiencing intense and often unpleasant emotions that arise from heartbreak, honouring those feelings is actually a very cleansing, liberating and freeing outlet.
