Florry packed the Replay for a matinee lesson in celebratory rock ‘n’ roll

June 24, 2025

Alex Agueros,

Florry. // photo by Alex Agueros

Francie Medosch trained for this.

Florry, a seven-piece alt-country group led by Medosch, last rolled into Lawrence for a late-night stop in March 2024 between supporting runs with Real Estate and fellow Pennsylvanian country rocker Kurt Vile. In a recent interview with the latter, Medosch revealed a workout regiment fit for guitar tricks to support the band’s newest rip-roaring album, Sounds Like…

“I’ve been working out so I can have Bruce Springsteen arms this summer,” Medosch said.

Playing with appropriate “sun’s out, guns out” abandon, Florry delivered a celebratory rock’n’roll experience to a group of attendees nearly as crowded as the stage Tuesday, June 28, at Replay Lounge.

“Hot Weather” ripped through the bar venue with authority—even during sound check—showcasing the collective strength of the band and setting the tone for the group of about 50 already in attendance. Sounds Like… standouts “Pretty Eyes Lorraine,” “Waiting Around to Provide,” and “Truck Flipped Over ‘19” demonstrated just how much the band enjoys building up a melody just to crash it and build it up again.

Florry’s self-aware and sometimes saucy sense of humor shone on two currently unreleased tracks, “2 Beers” and “Breaking Down My Ego.” Medosch winced between the refrains of the former: “Two beers, and I talk to you. Two beers, my baby talks to me to,” and gleefully credited lessons learned in sacrifice to Spider-Man on “Ego.” Specifically, she added, “in Spider-Man 2!” with the enthusiasm of yelling to a friend across the street.

Sounds Like… offers a potent sample of the live Florry experience. Colin Miller, who released his album Losin’ in April and visited Kansas City one night prior as opener and drummer for MJ Lenderman & The Wind, helped produce the band’s latest snapshot of their free-wheelin’ energy with live takes recorded over three days in Asheville, North Carolina. Florry channels its magic through a similar collaborative energy, with six members of the Philadelphia outfit playing off elements of pedal steel, fiddle, and harmonica with ease.

Collaborative energy is the source of the magic channeled by Florry, and Medosch’s lyrics admit as much. “Dip Myself in Like an Ice Cream Cone,” sandwiches a funky little groove between the opening lines, “Took a little bit of a song but I made it something else,” and its closer, “Could I find in your pants what I found in your hands?” Lead single “First it was a movie, then it was a book,” reckons with the nature of inspiration while leaving plenty of room for high-flying guitar solos. “I need to see myself doing something and then I wont be such a bummer.”

Medosch is a clear leader in lifting a diverse of country rock influences to the surface of her last two recordings, but the live Florry experience in a crowded bar on a Tuesday further confirmed that there’s power in numbers.

Blanky. // photo by Alex Agueros

Lawrence favorites Blanky opened the show and promoted their upcoming album Idols on the Wall, due for release June 28. Their post-punk sound is as mysterious and cinematic, tastefully traversing between influences like Nick Cave and Lou Reed. Vocalist and lead guitarist Anthony Cunard led the early crowd through a waltzy, haunted sock hop, with enough surf elements to appease both wallflowers and those who came to dance.

All photos by Alex Agueros

Florry