There was a time not too long ago it seemed Florence + the Machine‘s summer was going be over before it really hit its stride. Singer Florence Welch was dealing with a vocal illness, which had sidelined the band and forced the cancellation of several dates. Lucky for fans, Welch was able to rest up, and before anybody knew it she was all better and back on the road. Perhaps the biggest benefactors of that recovery was the massive crowd that caught Florence + the Machine at Lollapalooza on Saturday (Aug. 5) in Chicago.

Drawing what was estimated as one of the largest audiences in the festival’s long-running history in Chicago, the band reportedly turned in a mesmerizing show that was historic on at least one account: It marked the very first time they ever performed ’Breath of Life,’ their contribution to the ‘Snow White and the Huntsmen’ soundtrack.  The song had ”never, ever been played live before,” Welch revealed.

That tune may have been a definite highlight of their set, but it was just one of many in a 75-minute gig that touched on tunes as varied as the moody ’Only If for the Night’ and ‘Heartlines’ through to barn burners like ‘Shake It Off’ and ‘The Dog Days Are Over.’ Not a bad way to spend a summer night.

Watch Florence + the Machine Play ‘Breath of Life’ Live for the First Time at Lollapalooza 2012

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