Editors at Irving Plaza

Tom Smith

Born in Northampton, England, Editors front person Tom Smith spent his early years in Stroud, Gloucestershire, where he learned to play the guitar. He met his future band mates while attending university and living in Birmingham. They first performed in 2002 as Pilot until they learned that another band by that name had hit records in the 1970s. They became the Pride and then after a personnel change became Snowfield in 2003. Upon signing to a record label they changed their band's name to Editors. Editors achieved success in the United Kingdom, scoring two platinum-selling albums, but has not yet notched a parallel fame in the United States. The band currently consists of Smith (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Russell Leetch (bass, synthesizers), Ed Lay (drums), Justin Lockey (lead guitar), and Elliott Williams (keyboards, synthesizers, guitars). Editors' sixth and most recent album, Violence, was released on March 9, 2018.

Editors' first American tour in eight years brought the band to Irving Plaza tonight, where the band performed six songs from its newest album and two or three songs from each of its previous albums. Editors' sound was big and full, often driven by a danceable beat and searing guitar leads. Although Smith possesses a four and a half octave vocal range, the center of gravity was a husky, emotive coloring seemingly soaked with angst and wounds. Ambiguous lyrics enhanced an aura of mystery. If the band commits to working the American market, expect Editors to headline arenas and stadiums in the near future.

Visit Editors at www.editors-official.com.

Setlist:

1. Hallelujah (So Low)
2. A Ton of Love
3. Formaldehyde
4. Darkness at the Door
5. Violence
6. No Harm
7. Blood
8. Munich
9. An End Has a Start
10. In This Light and on This Evening
11. Nothingness
12. Sugar
13. The Racing Rats
14. Ocean of Night

Encore:

1. Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors (acoustic)
2. Cold
3. Magazine
4. Papillon
5. Marching Orders