Florry breaks out the country twang at XPNFest

Local country-rock seven-piece Florry brought revved up energy to the XPoNential Music Festival River Stage this afternoon. Fronted by singer-guitarist Francie Medosch, the group contained bassist Collin Dennen, drummer Joey Sullivan, fiddle and mandolin player Will Henriksen, pedal steel player Jonathan Cox, electric guitar ist John Murray, and acoustic guitarist and vocalist Victoria Rose.

Immediately, the group had that warm, full-band sound. Their country twang brought lots of fans to the front of the stage, intrigued by the infectious feeling. The members were very stylish as well, embodying their laid-back, indie sound with an array of tucked shirts, cargo capris, a fishing-type hat and sunglasses, a cut-off IAMS tee, and a variety of odd sneakers. Medosch took time to shout out her family, mentioning that she had attended the festival as a kid multiple times.

They led off with “Drunk and High,” the opener of their breakthrough 2023 album, The Holey Bible; immediately following it was “Pretty Eyes Lorraine,” which appears to be unreleased. “Hey Baby” began with guitar harmonies and a very happy energy. Henriksen switched out his fiddle for a mandolin as well before the song diverged into a random swell of chaos, proving they can rock too. This was further enforced by Medosch’s shredding on electric guitar during “First it was a movie, then it was a book,” a long, moving unreleased rocker that they jammed on very effectively for a while. They actually couldn’t stop it…it just kept going (in a great way).

Florry | photo by Ellen C Miller for WXPN

In-between songs, the band members didn’t speak much. The set was casual, with the illusion that they were just friends jamming at their West Philly backyard, instead of the River Stage in front of hundreds. A small keyboard lent organ sounds for “Waiting Around to Provide,” and Cox’s pedal steel had a few moments that really resonated when blended with Medosch’s harmonica and the organ. “Cowgirl Giving” came out slow, plotting, and kinda somber. Rose’s elegant background vocals contrasted nicely with the talk-sung verses.

“Take My Heart” brought the upbeat energy back with a classic chord progression, reminiscent of The Chicks’s “Cowboy Take Me Away” chorus. Another unreleased song titled “Truck Flipped Over ‘19” had shoegaze-y elements; noises guitar strumming, slow tempo, odd structure, and heavy cymbal.  Before the band’s final song, they took a moment to thank everyone, cheer on Philly sports, and also spoke about the current Aramark strike affecting Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park, and the Wells Fargo Center. “They deserve a living wage,” Rose stated regarding the Aramark employees, and urged fans not to buy the food at the stadiums in support of the strike.

“California” closed out the set, and Cox came up to sing background vocals as well, creating a fun harmony line with Rose. Murray performed an impromptu guitar switch when their string snapped, recovering before the end of the track! Overall, Florry’s set was full of undeniable band synergy and authentic, indie twang. The group doesn’t have any more shows planned for the fall, but something could be under wraps for the fall or early 2025. For more coverage of XPoNential Music Festival 2024, stay tuned online and on your radio.