By Kyra Lieberman
The lights drop as four guys run on stage, grabbing their instruments and stealing the hearts of their mostly female audience.
There is no barrier between the stage and audience, band members bumping fists and high fiving with their fans. The band, purposely-lowercase flor, opens the show with single “slow motion” from their sophomore album released under the label Fueled By Ramen in September, “ley lines.” The lights dance across the audience as they watch with wide eyes. Zach Grace, lead singer and guitarist, is full of energy and smiles as the crowd sings along.
They flow into their next song, “heart,” and Grace dances across the small stage at The Social in downtown Orlando. He was born there and lived in Florida until he was eight years old. The band formed in Hood River, Ore., in 2014, with Grace, McKinley Kitts on guitar, Kyle Hill on drums and Dylan Bauld on bass. The band is something of an 80s throwback with their use of synths, heavy bass and real instruments.
People were lining up outside hours before the doors opened to get as close to the stage as possible. Many wore flor shirts and hats, some even homemade. The concertgoers wind around the block by the time doors open and fill up the 200 capacity venue. Opening acts lostboycrow and joan play new songs for their fans among the crowd, including some old favorites from their discographies.
The main act, flor, finally puts down their instruments for a moment to speak to the crowd and joke amongst themselves. In such a small room, the atmosphere is intimate and without the screaming, a fan could have a conversation with the band. It is a casual affair, but a high energy one, too. Grace and Kitts share laughs but they are focused on the music. They told Riff Magazine that they made sure this album would be fun to play live, and with good reason. They are booked on the current leg of their tour for a month straight, playing 24 shows between Sept. 10 and Oct. 12, where they will end their tour in San Diego, Calif., this month.
flor plays “ley lines,” which is also the title of their current album. Earlier this year, Grace told Substream Magazine what the song means to him. “Ley lines are these pathways that connect places of power,” Grace said. “I was drawn to the idea of these anchor points creating a route: this defining of a journey, and this strengthening through connection. The more we’re able to connect these anchors, the more we can trust ourselves, be unshakeable and find happiness, regardless of the push and pull of the world around us.”
The band breezes through the rest of their set, pausing every few songs to joke with the audience and drink water, noting the notorious Florida humidity. Near the end of the night, they stare out at the beaming fans, seemingly shocked that so many people showed up and are singing their lyrics back to them–as well as likely wondering why people keep asking what conditioner they use.
“You’re weird in the most wonderful way!” Grace tells the crowd.
After playing a few singles, flor ends the night with “warm blood,” a fan favorite that has been the first dance song at a fan’s wedding. The band takes photos with fans after running off stage, touched at how far some have come to see them and recognizing a few who have been to their shows before. They don’t talk down to, but talk to their fans, making each other smile and laugh.
flor’s new single “dancing around” is out now and their North American tour continues through Oct. 12.