Luminous singer Florence Welch and her acclaimed British indie-rock band Florence and the Machine return to the Bay Area for the rising group's biggest local show yet. Anchored by Welch's mesmerizing voice that draws on elements of jazz, avant-garde pop, folk and blue-eyed soul -- she's earned frequent comparisons to UK iconoclast Kate Bush -- the group got its start as a duo featuring Welch singing and friend Isabella "Machine" Summers playing keyboards in 2006 under the moniker Florence Robot/Isa Machine.

Though Welch recorded vocals for the band Ashok in 2007, she decided she was the wrong fit for the band and quit to return her focus on developing Florence and the Machines. The group's debut, 2009's Lungs, was an instant hit in the UK and soon started garnering a global following after the punky garage-pop lead single "Kiss with a Fist" was used for numerous movie and television soundtracks. That song gave little indication of the album's breadth, as Welch flexes her powerful pipes over everything from the harp-meets-handclaps groove of "Dog Days Are Over" to the dramatic soulful rock of "You've Got the Love" to the percussive electro pulse and orchestrations of "Drumming Song."

The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize and eventually won a Brit Award the following year. When the group headllined UC Berkeley's Greek Theatre in June of last year, they gave a preview of their then forthcoming album Ceremonials with the live debut of the first single "What the Water Gave Me." The album was released almost a year ago to wide acclaim and solid sales thanks to the hits "Shake It Out" and "Spectrum" (the group's first #1 single in the UK). Florence and the Machine bring their current tour to Mountain View Friday night with opening act The Weeknd, the rising Canadian R&B singer and producer who has made a made a major splash with his series of electronic-tinged mixtapes.

Florence and the Machine
Friday, Oct. 5, 8 p.m. $25-$65.50
Shoreline Amphitheatre