Florence Road Live at The Button Factory

There are moments during a live show when it hits you, you’re not just watching a band on the rise, you’re witnessing a turning point in the music industry. That’s exactly what it felt like when Florence Road Lily Aron (vocals), Emma Brandon (guitar), Ailbhe Barry (bass), and Hannah Kelly (drums) took over the headline spot at The Button Factory for their slot at Ireland Music Week.

The annual industry-focused festival has a reputation for surfacing the upcoming wave of Irish talent, and this year, Florence Road was a standout.

My First Impressions:

This was my first time at The Button Factory, and I’m already thinking about when I can get back. It’s one of those rare venues that strikes the perfect balance, intimate enough to feel connected to the stage, but with enough size and energy to carry a crowd. On this particular night, it was packed with industry heads, press, and everyone in between.

From the moment Florence Road stepped out, the room felt completely locked in, phones were up, eyes were glued, and the kind of quiet anticipation that precedes something big hung in the air.

The truth is, seeing Florence Road in a venue like The Button Factory felt like a privilege, because they certainly won’t be playing small venues like this for long with the attention they’re gaining in the Irish music scene.

The band opened with “Figure It Out”, setting the tone with layered percussion and a strong underlying bassline before building into the kind layered and rocky sound that Florence Road are quickly becoming recognised for.

Lily Aron’s voice is unlike any I have heard before, It’s one thing to have a great vocal take in the studio, it’s another to deliver it on stage, surrounded by a sea of people. Lily didn’t just deliver, she was completely in her element.

The band ran through tracks like “Break the Girl” and the fast-rising single “Goodnight”, which got probably the biggest crowd reaction of the night. The song in particular is clearly a fan favourite, its slow-burn intro and explosive chorus landed even harder in the room than on record.

Florence Road’s live sound adds an extra dimension. There’s a rawness to their delivery that’s refreshing, they’re not interested in playing things too safe, but it’s not all up in your face either.

It’s not every night you get a sold-out crowd giving it everything for a band still early in their journey. People weren’t just nodding along, they were feeling it. Singing, swaying, shouting lyrics back with that kind of communal joy that live music does best.

The chemistry between the band and the audience was natural. There wasn’t a ton of chatter between songs, but they didn’t need it. The connection was already there, and it only got stronger as the set went on.

Florence road didn’t treat this gig like a warm-up, and it didn’t feel like one. It felt like a moment, the kind people look back on and say, “I saw them before they blew up.” With songs this strong and a presence this self-assured, it’s clear they’re not just a fleeting band.

They’ve already announced a headline show at The Academy which is happening later this year, and seems to be sold out already. After what I saw at The Button Factory, that show is going to be phenomenal. Florence Road are going to be huge.

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