Seems like every hype-mongering band has a tagline, doesn’t it? For Editors, you’ve heard it enough to make you cringe: this band must be seen live. Until you have, you’ll never understand the fuss. These Brits pulled it off in grand fashion at Merc a few months ago; they did it again in Austin. Tonight, at their biggest NYC show to date, Editors definitely performed well enough, but they almost left us without something special to remember ‘em by. Almost.
I was surprised by the amount of time it took for sold-out Webster to fill up. Also found it odd that kids had a tough time getting rid of their extras (at less than face, mind you). This was Editors’ fourth NYC show in ten weeks — and second in three nights — and that may have been a factor. Hell, maybe that was the reason tonight’s crowd offered such tempered enthusiasm. Sure, songs like “All Sparks” and “Munich” had crowd and floorboards bopping, but there was a faint disconnect this night between band and audience. Though Editors continue to get better, and Tom Smith’s baritone more distinct, their seemingly built-for-arena anthems didn’t capture the Hall how I’d anticipated.
With the show drawing to a close, it seemed the night was to be remembered as much for its passably receptive crowd as for its worthy performance. But then it happened. After the first verse of show-closer “Fingers In The Factories,” with Chris Urbanowicz repeating his three-note guitar figure, Tom motioned to the roof. Nowhere near a mic, he screamed something. Some sort of command, maybe, it really didn’t matter. He looked at the crowd, pointed at the balcony and screamed something else. And there it was: a tidal wave of buzz. Swelling from the stage, rippling through the crowd … creeping up our spines until we erupted in cheer. We roared our way through the next verse, and we pounded on that massive hook: the band on their instruments, and us on the floor. Finally. Goosebumps. This was the moment I’d take with me. This was Editors live.
Seen Editors lately? What’d you think?
For more of my pictures from last night, hit Village Indian. And check out AmpCamp for a free MP3 of “Heads In A Bag.”
UPDATE: Go here to download a .zip of Editors Live @ Warsaw 3/28/06. (Thanks Jason!)
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Loved them live when they played Toronto a week ago. And although comparing them is lazy and not completely accurate, the Editors gig was everything that my latest live Interpol experience wasn’t.
The one thing that was disturbing for me though is that the lead singer is in horrible danger of becoming Chris Martin at times. Seriously. So in the next 2 years watch out for actress balling, naming of kids as fruit and becoming some other big star’s mini-me (since Bono is taken by Martin, maybe Stipe?).
Great band. Amazing album. Satisfying gig.
G.
Hot fuckin’ damn. Can’t wait to see them at Coachella…
god you’re such a pretentious fuck. go back to india
sounds like a good time.
and i’m not surprised that they were better at Merc.
everybody’s better at Merc.
every show should be at Merc.
Good to see ya there last night. My damn calfs hurt from jumping too much at warsaw and then webster. It seems like they will be ‘making it’ here in the US. Good to see.
Thanks to you, Amrit, for turning me on to the Editors! I had a blast and loved it! Definitely kiss ass live! Kept me pumped the whole time. Can’t wait to see them again!
A little dramatic, don’t you think?
But the review did have one nugget: I’m going to name my next band Tidal Wave of Buzz. Thanks for that.
I caught them at the Diesel party at SXSW and they lived up to every word of hype…the band had tremendous energy and in good spirits considering they played over 10 shows during SXSW…
Hearing the buzz build, I actually listened to these tracks of their Boston show first, before buying the record, which I shortly thereafter did. They sound great – wish I could have made a show n NYC.
http://www.bradleysalmanac.com/2006/01/mp3s-editors-in-boston.htm
argh, that review makes me hate not making that show even more! nice pics!
i was at the Boston show in january that merp referenced and Editors tore the roof off the place! these guys are really, really good live. go see them!
sheesh amrit. stop writing such good reviews and taking fabulous photos. you are putting all us other bloggers to shame.
Seeing them next friday here in Florida with Stellastarr*…. can’t wait.
You can check out more photos at http://www.thetripwire.com/news/2006/3/31/editors-rocked-new-york-last-night-see-for-yourself
There is also a link to the Conan thing on You Tube there.
listened to a couple of songs from the boston show – they seem fairly dated. yawn.
more on
http://www.themusicslut.org
caught them in austin @ sxsw- at a live taping for kexp at the austin city limits studios. awesome experience- short set- but well worth it. the sound was amazing- just the right balance of loud/soft. tried to catch them later in the week but the firemarshall thwarted our efforts…maybe next time.
so this is where the pic of my setlist went!
agree on all counts. had it not been for “fingers”, i would’ve left very disappointed. at least the warsaw show kicked ass.
Sigh. Another review that goes on and on about the psychological state of the audience. I really don’t think this should be your primary focus.
You could have rewritten the whole thing by talking instead about your relationship to the music and the band – sounds like you were bored, possibly because they were being boring. If the performance was particularly good you should have been able to rock out regardless of some mysterious malaise hanging over the house.
If you need everyone around you to be freaking out in order to evaluate whether it’s good, you shouldn’t be a critic.
The story of this show, to me, was the great performance and the tepid crowd. It’s fair to talk about the crowd, we want to hear that stuff. I remember some past reviews on stereogum where he’s talked a lot about the music and instruments (sigur ros, strokes, maybe yyys?), and others where the crowd was the story. each show is a little different. warsaw was a better editors show, btw.
Fair enough, amrit’s review of the YYY’s was notable for being about the band and the music, and NOT the crowd, unlike like some other bloggers and bitter commentators.
But the “critique the crowd” strategy seems all too common on blogs. Professional critics, on the other hand, mostly do not do it. (Partly because the professional critic feels responsible for describing what the band is like in general, for people who might want to see them later.)
I hear you bklynd, good point, and I agree; most bloggers are fixated on the crowd. But, that’s prob a reflection of the medium. I mean, blogs are fan driven, so their focus is bound to be on the fan, right? It’s the whole “function of the blog” in light of the media (or vice versa) situation. I guess it’s knowing your forum, and knowing your voice. I think stereogum reviews have been good at coming at both angles. seems more about the “story of the night” than anything, and i really dig that.
Caught the Cleveland show. Crowd very into it and was fullest during Editors set. Their songs come alive on stage. Very loud, very tight, very British, very good.
Not to overshadow Stellastarr* who was great as well closing the night out.
I agree on the audience 100%. Really affected my ability to enjoy the show. My thoughts on the show are here:
http://tinyurl.com/e7qar
also, what was the reference to before “Bullets”? The mag or the band? Been scratching my head over that.
Hey mist. I was at the Editors show at Webster Hall as well and I think the reference was to Rolling Stone, the magazine. They gave The Back Room an OK (3 stars) but not great review. From what Tom Smith said, though, you would think it got 1 star or something, though.
Hey–great review. I saw them in Philly 2 nights later. Here’s my review, and a bunch of pics from that show.
http://www.thebmrant.com/?p=824