Way back in October, the UK’s Independent followed Editors and Maxïmo Park to a show in Nashville, asking if the new wave of arty British rock could make it in the US. Then, asked if their early success in Great Britain would translate to the US, frontman Tom Smith chose to punt:
“I don’t know…This show is a bit of a one off. We’re going to come and give America a serious crack in the new year. It’s a big market, and we’d love to do well here. But we’re doing well in Europe and the UK at the moment, and it would be foolish to take our eyes off that at the moment.”
As quoted by Village Indian, 2006′s first “serious crack” on Friday knocked everyone on their ass:
“We honestly didn’t expect the crowd to be that vocal,” drummer Ed Lay told me after the show. “You figure a New York crowd is going to cross their arms and make a long face. These guys were just great.”
According to his writeup, and some of the comments he’s gotten, Editors pulled off the alchemical transmutation of hype into buzz that some other British acts have not.
Editors – “Fingers In The Factories” (MP3 link removed)
More pics & writeup here, and pics from the Vegan here.
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All of bands rip off post-punk from the late seventies i.e. Joy Division or Gang of Four. However, Editors are the first instance I can point to that sound like they’re ripping off another band influenced by a seventies post-punk band. Editors honestly sound like Interpol. And Maximo Park sound like Franz Ferdinand. It’s kinda pathetic.
*A lot of bands
i definitely concur
Whoa I was like “What are they talking about-” until dude opened his yap. Ugh. So Banksin’ it’s not even lame.
Last years Editors gig at the Astoria in London was one of the most disappointing ones of the year.
that mercury show was one of the best I’ve ever seen there… or ever seen… ever.
ya, editors is completely derivative… still, i’m not convinced they’re ripping off interpol, in as much as they’ve perfected interpol’s shtick of ripping off joy division, echo, etc. i think ‘back room’ is great, and is what ‘antics’ should have been. i’ve never seen them live… looks like it was a great show… thanks for the link. i gotta get me to nyc!
“Editors pulled off the alchemical transmutation of hype into buzz that other British acts have not”
I’m not sure that’s true. Bloc Party anyone?
Seeing as I’m not in the US I cant be sure of anymore. But I’m sure there’s more…
I didn’t mean *all* British acts- Bloc Party definitely pulled it off.
I agree with Jim on that one-Bloc Party is definitely one of those acts that pulled it off…God Bless ‘em.
I was speaking strictly in terms of the “Mercury debuts”-the band I was alluding to sounded a lot better at the Bowery…
great points. i just want to add one more thing, i saw their show at 330 Rich Street in San Francisco the previous night and it was superb as well. Although i have to say that most people think there is a much different crowd atmosphere over than on the east coast, but i’m not so sure anymore. i think with the advent of the coast-to-coast indie rock buzz, there is becoming substantial blurring between the tastes of most rock fans on either coast. BTW, they played the exact same set in SF as in NY.
I like to think of both Maximo Park and Editors as shamelessly derivative bands that are in large part BETTER than their predecessors. The Maximo Park record is start-to-finish stronger than either of Franz’s albums, and I like “Blood” better than any single Interpol’s ever crapped out.
yawwwwwnnnn
boring rehash shit rock
i concur with fido, though i do like maximo park. as far the editors, how anyone could find this little interpol cover band better than them is confusing to me.
review up on the music slut!
the singer for the editors seemed a little too cry-babyish at popscene. slamming the mic stand around while he had to lean over to sing in his weird for the sake of being weird way. i still enjoy their music though.
I don’t hate Maximo Park. Actually, musically I think they’re somewhere between Franz Ferdinand and the Futureheads. Yeah, they’re good and they’re not completely derivitave and terrible, but I just prefer Franzy’s cheaky sense of humor.
I guess its nice to hear that Editors have taken an interest in the US- does anyone know when their album is actually going to be released here?
New York is full of people who desperately want to be able to say, “I was there back when…” and as such, any band that is both new yet familiar containing the basic elements of the accepted “cool” NYC acts such as Interpol will always find a welcome home at mercury as long as there are still people flocking to New York still jealous about being too young to have been there for the rebirth of New York as a rock capital during the turn of the century.
Sadly, their allegiance is fickle as one years crop divides into those who get too popular to still be cool and those who fade into oblivion, another crop will arise as the new hope and garnish all the attention.
Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, Art Brut, Futureheads, Maximo Park, Editors…who would even bother to keep up anymore?
i was at Editors’ show last night at Great Scott in Boston (ok, Allston) and i thought they sounded fantastic! great stage presence and energy; plus the crowd was really into it. wanna hear last night’s show?:
http://www.bradleysalmanac.com/2006/01/mp3s-editors-in-boston.htm
if you close your eyes the vox sound like D. Matthews….sigh
hey, you know what? I just remembered the Vines. Ew.
Editors crushed it.
The live act is better than the MP3s.