Spectacular at Sandance (Updated May 15, 2013)

So far, 2013 has been pretty kind to Florence and the Machine. The indie group has been rocking it out at places like Sandance, and in their spare time also cut a track for the remake of the feature film "The Great Gatsby."

Let's start by talking about that rousing performance in front of some 12,000 fans in the final Sandance before the summer break. The band ripped through a 12-song set taken from their albums "Lungs" and "Ceremonials," staging a bit of music drama. They started with the opener "Only for a Night" and never let off the gas, rounding out the performance with their hit singles "Shake It Out," "Dog Days Are Over" and "No Light, No Light."

Unfortunately, the festival is expected to be the band's only gig of the year, with Welch and keyboard player Summers taking 2013 off to work on a new record. When they do come back, it will be with a third LP in tow.

In the mean time, Florence and the Machine contributed "Over the Love" to "The Great Gatsby" soundtrack. They crafted the sound and catered the song from the perspective of the character Daisy Buchanan in the movie, which opened to a $51.1 million gate in its first weekend on the big screen. The soundtrack was released on April 17, 2013 on SoundCloud.

About Florence and the Machine

Florence and the Machine may be one of the first contemporary acts to find success with an ever-evolving cast of characters. Quite simply, this English indie rock band has gained mainstream success on the power of one name and a collaboration of other musicians.

Fronted by lead singer Florence Mary Leontine Welch, the band hit the big time in just a few short years, beginning with the release of the debut album, "Lungs," in 2009. It climbed inside the Top Ten and eventually landed at No. 1 after 28 consecutive weeks on the UK Albums Chart. The follow-up, "Ceremonials," released in 2011, took a much quicker path to the top, debuting in the No. 1 spot. It also held its own in the U.S., reaching the sixth spot on the charts.

The sound of Florence and the Machine can be hard to describe. It includes a mix of various genres, and can change based on Welch's backing vocalists, guitarists and drummers. Isabella 'Machine' Summers has served as a songwriter, producer and remixer for the band, as well as being the keyboard player. Mark Saunders comes in on bass guitar and Tom Monger plays the harp, which was famously caught in a trailer fire during a European tour. The harp's string began to ping in the heat of the flames, and the band recorded it to use in a song.

Florence and the Machine is known for its live performances, though in July 2012 the group was forced to cancel two dates after Welch sustained a vocal injury. She recovered and performed at the Osheaga Festival in Montreal the following month, and the band then hit the road with Spectrum. The North American leg wrapped October 13 with a date in Mexico City at Corona Capital 2012.