More about: Editors

"Sorry if that killed the vibe," shrugs Editors' Tom Smith, returning to the stage after a half hour interval of heinous sound problems. In the interim, there's been a deafening crackle popping over the speakers, a fair amount of beery jeering and a gradual trickling exit of fans. But still, the vast majority of the faithful remain - and for good reason. 

Editors are dismissed by some, snobs - if you will. Derided for their early material sharing a few things in common with a certain iconic Manchester post-punk band saw them derided. These cynics, however, are tools. 

From tonight's sombre but scorching opener for the elegiac cinematic opener of In Dream's 'No Harm', it is clear that this is a band truly in a league of their own. There's a grace and compulsion that flows through every moment tonight that only bands entering 'institution' territory can carry. 

As they rush into the Bjork-esque doom rock of 'Sugar' before the Euro-pop rush of 'Sugar', Editors restlessly flow through a myriad of sounds - but there's an intensity, a romance, a melodrama and something universally human about it all at their core.

Indeed, debut The Back Room did have a smack of nostalgia to it, but there was an energy and modern sheen to it of a band always gazing into the horizon. So immaculate and acclaimed it was too, that for most bands of their era, cuts from it would be the highlight of the set. Alas, so far have the band evolved that 'Blood' and 'Bullets' just don't quite stand up to the scope of 'Forgiveness' or the industrial stomp of 'Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool'. While in 2005 they may have seemed like a band fully-formed, now they seem so much more complete.

'Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors' is stripped back to its bare bones in acoustic form - a bold move indeed. As a song designed to fill arenas, it's quite astounding to see the sheer calibre of the song exposed when robbed of bells and whistles. 

Then comes adversity. A barrage of piercing pops across the speakers overwhelm the sound and the band are forced to flee the stage. Roadies rush around trying to find the source, as the band attempt to re-launch their set on numerous occasions, only for the demon noise to rear its ugly head - much to everyone's frustration, with even the band throwing their arms aloft in despair. 

But 30 minutes later, and it was well worth the wait. Old friend 'Munich' soon re-ignites the pace before an epic reimagining of the life-affirming 'Nothing' shines a light on a dimension on the band few thought could exist. Here are a band in their prime. 

It's impossible to not fall in love with the spine-tingling waltz of 'Ocean Of Night', before 'Papillon' unites the Apollo in a rave. Sealed with a kiss of career peak 'Marching Orders' and we all leave ecstatic. Their recover was so immediate due to the sheer class of their performance. The vibe never dies when Editors are always on form. 

Editors played:
No Harm
Sugar
Life Is a Fear
Blood
An End Has a Start
Forgiveness
Our Love
Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool
The Racing Rats
Formaldehyde
Salvation
A Ton of Love
Bullets
Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors (acoustic)
Encore:
Munich
Nothing
Ocean of Night
Papillon
Marching Orders

More about: Editors