Editors @ Mercury Lounge, Rothko
Natalie just sent me this foto of all of us rocking out in the front at the Mercury Lounge Friday night (taken by mediaeater). She's in there, Chris is right next to her, and me?... I think that's my elbow to the far right (not really... I have much thicker arms).
In short, the Mercury show was one of the best I've attended. As you might know, the openers are personal favorites of mine, and both the Picture and the Head Set blew my mind. Both of those bands deserve to have a huge year with the quality of tunes they can emit from stage. (The Head Set play this Friday for free at Crash mansion, with an open bar for an hour. Go see the Picture during their March residency at Pianos).
From the moment the Editors took the stage and all of us up front went nuts, I was in awe. I hadn't felt that way since last year's hottest band decimated the Roxy on President's day. The sound was studio-perfect, the setlist a dream, and the crowd one of the most excited and enthusiastic I've been a part of.
Now, in the days after -in the wake of all the blog-press- and as everyone who was there was blown away (even the doubters, mind you), out come the haters from the woodwork. They bring up the d-word (derivative), the I-word (Intersuck), which only makes them appear to be the p-word (pretentiously callous). Seriously, what's up with all the hate? Did Tom Smith wrong them personally? Editors are ace, and one of the few (maybe only four) from the UK that have proved it here.
How was Saturday night at Rothko? Well, I was still going crazy like it was still Friday night. The crowd was sorta into it, but not to the same unilateral degree. Sinceit was so packed, I can imagine that the people who usually find themselves up front pumping fists were scattered throughout. The sound, however...was no less stunning. In fact, the Editors were no less amazing than the night before, and might even dominate any venue they come to play in NYC. Webster Hall is the next venue being mouthed, and hopefully the crowd will be equally as enthralled.
The haters can stay home.
Written from jerry yeti's cave at 9:42 AM
13 Talk to a Yeti
13 Comments:
i just wanted to say thanks for the heads up on this show. i was in the very front at mercury and was absolutely certain that i would go crazy during 'fingers'. sadly i think i lasted about one minute into 'lights' before deciding to freak out entirely. the greatest part was turning to see the whole crowd at mercury dancing to 'fingers'. the only downside is that i think my musical moment of 2006 has already happened and its all downhill from here....
I appreciate it John.
'Fingers' was definitely as good as it gets at a show... but there are other moments still left in the year.
Nothing jumps out at me in the next four months... but there will be others. Hell, the Editors themselves will be back.
it was a great show, with one of the most enthusiastic audiences i've seen since that franz ferdinand show at northsix. it was also a short crowd, making for great sightlines. "fingers in the factory" and "all sparks" were my two highlights. and the afterparty actually had free beer for the entire time they said it would be free!
the "i" word is fair enough, if lazy, though editors are way better than them live. (there's a healthy dose of chameleons and stuart adamson (skids/big country) in there too. if anything, too many of their songs sound alike but i'll give them the benefit of the doubt till album #2.
as for new shows: field music next weekend should be good, and in march there's battle, guillemots, and probably a bunch more uk bands on their way to (or from) sxsw. hopefully that will include mystery jets, jim noir, and sunshine underground.
I absolutely agree with Jerry's assessment of the Mercury show.
My thoughts were framed as a meditation on hype and buzz and you can read a full review and get some more pics over at VI.
i heard bowery in march.
but that might have just been me, but i could swear i heard someone saying it on saturday. but then again i had a couple drinks in me...
i reeeeeally want it to be bowery and then i won't bitch and moan and they can play webster all the live long day. but give me one more show before that.
four acoustic tracks from a french radio session here:
http://planetconcert2.free.fr/Festival2005/Editors/Editors.htm
the haters were probably on the guest list and are just pissed that they got cut. wah wah wah. editors are awesome! (and who cares if they sound like interpol... interpol sound like joy division. blah blah blah)
to this day it baffles me that 'haters' even go to shows and shell out money
Both shows were brilliant. I loved how emotional Tom was during each song. And I loved the fact that people were going nuts at the front of the stage (more so at Mercury than at Rothko though). "Fingers' was absurdly good.
I'll just echo a lot of what has been said, the energy was incredible. The lack of emotion from audiences is one of my major gripes, but that was not the case at the Mercury. That show was an amazing high. I found myself walking around afterwards looking at people and wondering how they could have missed what I just saw! Great picture of the band and crowd, by the way!
I havent heard from any hater that went to either of those shows. Every single review of them has been overwhelmingly in praise -even those people that admit doubts heading into the show.
People act like certain bands have a monopoly on certain sounds. Just not true. If you're good, you're good.
People in the end didn't have a problem with Alec Ounsworth's non-original voice, so I doubt the upblic cares about Tom Smith's voice... because he does have an amazing talent.
Hey all,
Village Indian is proud to announce that Editors will be sitting down with us for an INTERVIEW in March!
Be sure to come on over and check it out!
Cheers,
VI
woah, the village indian is all about hype. he's like the new editors.
on another note, there are some hot shows that could happen...!ForwardRussia!, Battle, mystery jets, and Sunshine Underground.
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