It’s a sunny Friday evening and I’m sat on a wall next to my Dad in the middle of Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle. We’re waiting for doors, sitting just down the road from the one and only District. Tonight is all about Florist, an indie folk quartet from New York that fits right in with the likes of Big Thief and Phoebe Bridgers.
As the clock strikes eight, we head inside.
Grace Elizabeth Harvey makes her way onto stage. Florist’s support is a talented singer-songwriter with powerful vocals and a penchant for intricate guitar melodies. She’s just released her debut EP Other Faith, which, in her words, explores different types of faith and the shapes that they take.
Half an hour later, it’s time for Florist’s Liverpool debut.
Their opener is the gorgeous, sleepy ‘Levitate’ – Florist just about finish the first verse before a cable issue loudly disrupts the reverie. The band take it in their stride, making quick introductions and talking about how they’d just been swimming near Devil’s Bridge. They also treat us to a bit of ‘Eyes in the Sun’, making everyone laugh with a wry “we always play this when something explodes”. Crisis averted, the four-piece soon return to ‘Levitate’. It’s like nothing ever happened and the Liverpool crowd bursts into applause.
I’m a big fan of Felix Walworth’s drums on the following track, ‘Have Heaven’. I start to rack my brain for what it reminds me of when Dad mouths “Aldous Harding” at me – that’s it.
Next up is ‘Red Bird Pt.2 (Morning)’. It’s absolutely stunning, and there’s something very Sigur Rós about the synths. Emily Sprague (principal songwriter, lead vocals, guitar) explains that this is a track about home, familiarity and the idea that everyone has something that stays the same, even while they change.
At their core, Florist’s songs are about being human – about the complicated relationships we have with ourselves, our emotions and others, and how we don’t always show everything we feel or think. Their stuff is introspective, vulnerable and just very real.
It makes sense, then, that their songwriting shines in settings like this. Live shows are as real as you can get – that’s what makes them so great. Something about bringing people together in these spaces fits the Florist philosophy perfectly.
The rest of the setlist is a mix of tracks from their latest album Jellywish (released April 2025) and earlier LPs such as Florist and If Blue Could Be Happiness. For me, highlights include ‘All The Same Light’ (love the guitar line), ‘Dandelion’ and ‘Jellyfish’.
Speaking of – Florist’s new album is, according to Sprague, “about jellyfish, but not actually”. It’s a stunning study in introspection, hope and honesty, asking questions about change and the world around us. With its spellbinding, meditative indie folk and a hint of psychedelia, Jellywish is a poignant and unmissable record.
Finishing off with ‘Gloom Designs’, Florist exit stage left to thunderous applause. Dad heads straight to the back and grabs a couple of their CDs – I think that just about sums it up. It’s a crazy world we live in and this self-described “DIY band” or “friendship project” from the Catskill Mountains is a much-needed reminder of what’s really important.
Review by: Ayla Hewitt
Images credit: Ayla Hewitt
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