Its been a while since Editors were last on Australian shores, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them back (and for this reviewer, it’s my first experience with the Birmingham based group… so I must say I was ever the more excited). But first up were Melbourne duo Big Scary – a band I’d never heard of before tonight.
Much like Sydney’s The Vignettes, the fact they’re comprised of a female drummer and male lead vocalist makes comparisons to The White Stripes too easy (read: lazy). But much like The Vignettes, such a comparison is unfounded – well 90% of the time anyway. Rather, Tom Lansek channels quite a lot of Robert Smith in his voice, while appropriating the styles of the kings of modern rock and roll – be it Billy Corgan, Trent Renzor or Josh Homme (and yes, Jack White) – take your pick. Tom showcases the music he’s grown up with in style.
Meanwhile Jo Syme brings forth the whole “I make this drumming thing look easy” shtick that Kate Wilson from The Laurels/Holy Soul does so well. Much like Kate, this chick is a fucking amazing drummer, and the result? Big Scary sit above and beyond the rest.
Beyond the Robert Smith inspired vocals and kick arse drum beats, lies a potpourri of melodies, inspired by all the aforementioned, but made completely their own. This is a band who grew up on some killer tunes, and they’re totally ready to take such influence and do their own thing. They mightn’t grab you from the word go, but by the time they leave the stage, you’re ready for more.
Naturally, it was the Birmingham four-piece that the sold out crowd were here to see, and their reception upon arrival was deafening. This was a crowd of true fans, and as such, you immediately knew it was going to be an exhilarating gig. And indeed it was.
Now to say I’m a big fan of the band is probably an overstatement. I apologise for leading you to believe otherwise. While I find obvious love in tracks like “An End Has A Start”, “Bones”, “Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors” and “Papillon”, it’s fair to say that Tom Smith’s drawling vocals can become a bit draining at times. And such is of personal taste – I’m not a fan of Placebo or Interpol 90% for the most part for the same reason. But Editors have always proven to be the standouts of this style of music, with each and every single grabbing me – even when some are arguably “samey”.
Indeed, there is no better place to hear the similarities between a bands tunes than in the live environment, and they certainly showed this off tonight. But they also showed off a range I didn’t know they had, an energy you wouldn’t expect (especially from Tom Smith, who jumped between guitar, keyboards and running around the stage like a madman), and musical talent out the wazoo. Without question, these guys are a GREAT live band, and certainly attract a dedicated following.
I can’t say I left the gig feeling too differently about the band – I certainly discovered some new tracks (The Racing Rats!!) and had a great time in the process. But in the end this is about the live experience, and they certainly lived up to the hype in these regards – and you can’t ask for much more than that.
Editors Setlist:
1. In This Light and On This Evening
2. An End Has A Start
3. Blood
4. You Don’t Know Love
5. Bones
6. The Boxer
7. The Big Exit
8. Escape The Nest
9. Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool
10. Bullets
11. The Racing Rats
12. Like Treasure
13. You Are Fading
14. Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors
15. Bricks and Mortar
ENCORE:
16. Walk The Fleet Road
17. Munich
18. Papillon
19. Fingers in the Factories
Photo by http://www.kevinwestenberg.com
