ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY MYCHELLE PETERSON
Even though I’m getting a bit too old to truly enjoy late night weekday shows, I was still a bit put off by the 6:30 p.m. start time posted for the recent Editors show with Biffy Clyro and Ra Ra Riot. Doesn’t it seem odd to go into a venue when the sun is still up? Sadly, as a result of the early start time, I ended up missing Ra Ra Riot.
I walked into Park West at 7:30 p.m. to the bizarre sounds of Scotland’s Biffy Clyro. I was intrigued to see a band that has opened for both Editors and Queens of the Stone Age within the span of a month. Perhaps their musical schizophrenia works for them somehow. Each song sounded like a completely different band, and my verdict can be summed up in two words: sonically perplexing. The audience didn’t seem too impressed either; most people were chatting, drinking or checking their phones for text messages to keep them occupied.
But onto the main act! Since Editors broke onto the scene in 2004, they’ve been known for a powerful live show, while constantly shaking off comparisons to Interpol. Truth be told, if we’re keeping score in the Interpol versus Editors cage match, somebody add a point for the Englishmen. As a fan of both bands, I was interested in seeing how Tom Smith and the boys would stack up against the New York City darlings in a live setting. Neither band has drastically changed their sound, and it seems neither has changed their live show too much either. But in this case, the advantage clearly remains with Editors.
It’s crucial for any live band to sound good, and Editors deliver a full lush sound with ease. What sets them apart is front man Smith, whose spastic postures and poses recall the movements of one of his admitted heroes, R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe. Though the poses seemed a bit contrived at times, it was fun to watch Smith flail about and strike awkward poses, which he would hold until he knows you’ve noticed. Standing close to the front of the venue, I also noticed Smith making eye contact with quite a bit of the audience.
New songs “Smokers Outside Hospital Doors,” and the album’s title track, “An End Has a Start,” stand tall alongside the stellar tracks from the band’s debut album, The Back Room. I was surprised the band chose to perform “The Racing Rats” on this night, September 11, simply because the lyrics hit a little too close to home. Every time I hear “If a plane were to fall from the sky, how big a hole would it make in the surface of the earth,” my mind automatically sees that image of the Twin Towers falling. So hearing it played beautifully live on the very day was chilling, but also somewhat defiant in my mind.
The true strength of Editors is their ability to craft guitar-heavy, danceable rock anthems. “Bullets,” “Blood” and “Munich” are songs that every band aspires to create. But most bands are never able to achieve that, let alone on their first try. Played live, these tracks are grandiose, and they sound fantastic. Let’s hope Editors continue to craft dark, brooding danceable rock and don’t allow critics to water down their sound.
Editors roll through Los Angeles on September 24 with Ra Ra Riot and Biffy Clyro supporting at the Wiltern LG.
6:30!!!! fohcking shit, good lord, newscasts start at
6:30pm!!!
sounded like a kick ass show, sweeet.
Posted by: paulag | Sep 18, 2007 at 06:36 PM
sweet. i like the new editors album. :)
Posted by: cheryl | Sep 19, 2007 at 07:20 PM