Before I go any further, I will say that some of the detritus left behind as Editors moved through the past month has been selectively removed from the post. This actually happens almost every time I do one of these, but I never mention it. I'm only bringing it up now because if you follow people like Edith then you'll notice the omissions.
The idea that I'm collecting as much as I possibly can from the official sources is what these blog entries are about. There are, however, certain things that I won't touch; candid pictures of any member of the band taken without their knowledge or permission (and believe me, I've had a few weird snaps taken in the street and on public transport submitted to me over the years), officially released material that they can make money off but most importantly, anything to do with Editors' kids.
I respect anybody's right to post whatever they want on their own Instagram profile, that's up to them, but for me it feels like it falls outside of the catchment area I set up for the blog. I know where the boundaries are and strictly speaking, the band's respective families are not suitable subjects for what I'm doing here. As an example this month, Edith posted some videos on her Instagram story of the band playing Razzmatazz recently and they contained footage of Rudy and Spike. They aren't included here for the reasons I've already mentioned, although all the ones that they aren't in are still there. I respect their privacy. This isn't TMZ.
After that brief public service announcement...
February is the single largest collection of dates on the Black Gold greatest hits tour, and saw Editors travelling around Europe before making a return to the UK. Here's where they went:-
The idea that I'm collecting as much as I possibly can from the official sources is what these blog entries are about. There are, however, certain things that I won't touch; candid pictures of any member of the band taken without their knowledge or permission (and believe me, I've had a few weird snaps taken in the street and on public transport submitted to me over the years), officially released material that they can make money off but most importantly, anything to do with Editors' kids.
I respect anybody's right to post whatever they want on their own Instagram profile, that's up to them, but for me it feels like it falls outside of the catchment area I set up for the blog. I know where the boundaries are and strictly speaking, the band's respective families are not suitable subjects for what I'm doing here. As an example this month, Edith posted some videos on her Instagram story of the band playing Razzmatazz recently and they contained footage of Rudy and Spike. They aren't included here for the reasons I've already mentioned, although all the ones that they aren't in are still there. I respect their privacy. This isn't TMZ.
After that brief public service announcement...
February is the single largest collection of dates on the Black Gold greatest hits tour, and saw Editors travelling around Europe before making a return to the UK. Here's where they went:-
Mon 3 Germany
Tue 4 Poland
Wed 5 Poland
Fri 7 Austria
Sat 8 Croatia
Mon 10 Italy
Tue 11 Italy
Wed 12 Italy
Fri 14 Switzerland
Sat 15 Switzerland
Mon 17 Spain
Tue 18 Spain
Thu 27 Birmingham
Fri 28 Wembley
Sat 29 Manchester Apollo
Of those 16 dates we did manage to get some souvenirs to act as pacifiers for the gnawing desire to accumulate everything this band does, and a few of them are up for your enjoyment here at the Archive:-
FM4 Guest Room February 2020
VTM Nieuws Featurette 1st February 2020
Tom and Ed interviewed on Radio Eins 3rd February 2020
Vienna 7th Feb 2020 (GaryUK Recording)
Milan 11th February 2020 Virgin Radio Italy Broadcast
Dermot O'Leary Show 22nd February 2020
Birmingham 27th Feb 2020 (GaryUK Recording)
Manchester 29th February 2020 (GaryUK Recording)
The band have stuck to their promise of fluid setlists, with songs coming in and out again as the tour has progressed. At the time of writing, Black Gold the single still hasn't made its grand entrance to the world of Editors' live music...but I'm hopeful. I think that the most positive marker of the last 29 days (happy leap year, everybody) was them getting to play places like Wembley at home. Past tour cycles of the UK would have meant a prolonged and lengthy excursion into Academy style venues, but the context of this run of gigs, and what they're celebrating, has allowed for different strategy. I'm repeating myself but all of this, along with all the smart-touring changes they put in place after Tom got ill a few years ago, seem to have made for a much more manageable schedule.
Hitting bigger venues for fewer dates has meant that the grind has been reduced significantly, and it's turned each appointment into an event for the fans. Plus, the recovery time is increased so that energy levels can be replenished and the foul spectre of burnout can be assuaged.
Aside from all else, there's the realisation that this little group that crawled out of the study rooms of Staffordshire University is playing their music to a paying crowd, in locations that have been visited by people like Kylie, Madonna and Bob Dylan over the years. Editors. Our group. It's been elevation through stubborn perseverance, and a rejection of the principle that pop music with substance can only ever be ephemeral or transient. The Black Gold tour has reconnected me with the pride I feel for them and what they've accomplished. I only hope that in the throws of these repeated night-shifts they're undertaking in the name of press-ganged reminiscence, they feel it too.
Also included here is a little collection of frames from the Vienna gig on the 7th, as shot by a friend to the Archive called Magdi. Many thanks to you for making your work available, and keep taking pictures ;)
Enjoy the material that fell in February after the glitter-canons and flamethrowers had cooled ;)
download here
For all of Editors' previous Instagram posts, go here.
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love :) x
