To Synth Or Not To SynthWednesday 21st October 2009
Hammersmith Apollo
The lesser-known Airship kicked of proceedings tonight but failed to take flight. They were dull, boring and every indie clad pop milais sounded the same as the next.
Novascotian outfit Wintersleep were an excellent main support. Reminiscent of Midlake and Wilco with a little Arcade Fire thrown in they provided us with fine story telling lyrics, hefty and wholesome guitars and a sound rhythm and drum section that made them an instant crowd favourite. A fine set of talented musicians that complement each other well and will be seen around the traps a lot more in the future I predict.
As you may know Editors have taken a liking to the synthesiser/80’s sound on their most recent slab In This Light And On This Evening, which has obviously worked as it went straight to number 1 in the UK. I personally hate both the synthesiser and the 80's, so was going to be a tough nut to crack. As they exploded on stage in a luminous haze of laser lights and an AV screen big enough to dwarf a zeppelin it became clear they hadn’t lost any of their indie-pop talents. The chasm of difference between old and new was clearly visible, with old hits such as An End Has A Start and Racing Rats pumped out to an adoring crowd. Their melodic riffs and walking-beat hard hits perfectly blend over the amazing tone of Tom Smith’s voice. This may be a random comparison but his vocals have a commanding presence not unlike Brian Blessed’s – they hold your attention whether you like it or not.
Synth-based newer hits such as Papillion were received with equal enthusiasm, coupled by audiovisuals that made you feel like you were in a remake of Tron. A great stage presence and stage show to boot, Editors showed us exactly why they went to number 1 and sold out 2 Brixton Academy shows the following week; cause regardless of whether or not you like synthesiser, they’re good. Damn good.
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