Live Report: Florence Road captivate The Academy with a diverse and inspiring set

Fresh from their run of support slots for Wolf Alice, and a trip to Dingle for Other Voices, Florence Road evoked a rollercoaster of emotions at The Academy on Sunday night.

Made up of childhood friends Lily Aron (Vocals), Emma Brandon (Guitar), Ailbhe Barry (Bass) and Hannah Kelly (Drums), the Bray band rose to prominence on TikTok last year, covering pop songs like Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Obsessed’ and ‘Making The Bed'.

2025's road has been more Yellow Brick than Florence. Summer saw them come full circle, opening for Rodrigo in Marlay Park, as well as supporting sombr, Wallows and Royel Otis through the year. There've been plenty of new tunes that have justified the hype too, including singles ‘Storm Warnings’, ‘Miss’ and ‘Break The Girl’, and their debut mixtape, Fall Back, which arrived in June.

Florence Road at The Academy on November 30th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

At The Academy, they kicked things off with a bang, opening with the angsty, high-energy 'Figure It Out'. The packed venue made Florence Road feel like a cult band on the verge of going big, as the crowd erupted at the sound of the first note.

Rising and falling bass notes reverberated throughout the room as the band broke into 'Storm Warnings'. A gritty track, this featured booming drumbeats, as Aron delivered choppy, passionate vocals about ignoring red flags in a relationship.

Shifting to a lighter tone, 'Caterpillar' offered gentle, narrative-style vocals about struggles with personal growth. Green lights illuminated the stage and – flashlights held in the air – fans swayed side to side to the softy strummed guitar chords.

Staying with a somber tone, they dove into their rendition of 'Georgia' by Phoebe Bridgers. Accompanied by acoustic guitar, Aron's vocals brought a lighter, innocent feel to the song, while still holding true to it's melancholy tone. The crowd's silence was worth a thousand words, as they listened in awe.

Florence Road at The Academy on November 30th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

Gradually, Florence Road brought the mood back up with some hard hitting pop-rock tracks. The raw 'Break the Girl' took on an Olivia Rodrigo-style pop-punk sound, filled with breathless, angry vocals, snappy drums and a jumpy guitar riff. "La la la" was repeatedly echoed backed by the packed house.

Before heading off stage, the group dug into their Arctic Monkeys adjacent '7563', a song that growls with slowed down vocals – mimicked here by a crawling bass line.

Having sprinted off stage, the band returned for an encore, breaking into their debut single 'another seventeen'.

Finally, to close the night, Florence Road played their passion-filled ode to an ex, 'Goodnight'. Fans screamed along to the bitter lyrics under red red flashing lights as choppy guitar notes sounded throughout the venue, a fitting end to a lively Sunday night show.

Their discography may be in its infancy, but Florence Road showcased their vast range tonight, expertly switching from delicate lows to powerful highs in the next breath. They are one for the future – and the future is now!

Florence Road at The Academy on November 30th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com