A musician's life can take them in a variety of directions, whilst still wandering adjacently to the tried and true paths that are already carved out by those who blazed their trails before. At inception, there are usually basic aspirations; the hope for musical progression and ascension to greater creative heights, audience recognition on a scale wider than your pet hamster who has patiently listened to you play in your bedroom for years and even, whisper it softly, the chance to get paid to do what you love and avoid the rat race. Normally it's a linear process. Sometimes it can be immediate, and other times it can take forever to realise your dreams and even then only through dogged and stubborn perseverance (hello and we love you, Jarvis Cocker). Why do I mention this in a post about Editors? It's because in the month of November, Tom and Andy Burrows will be going back to take what are usually one of the first tentative steps of their own journeys in songwriting...whilst simultaneously being occupants of its later stages.
True to the conventional formula pursued by most fledgling performers, Smith and Burrows put out an advert in October for a gig they were planning to play at a pub in their local area of Stroud (see above). 24 hours later, it was sold out.
If you go here, you can take a virtual tour of the Prince Albert and you'll see that there will be very limited space between the performers and their audience. This is exactly how a lot of bands that have built, or are currently building their reputations commence. The songs are diligently written and rehearsed until it's finally time to deny your nerves, dive into the lake of fire and see if you can connect with actual real, living and breathing humans. Or a single human and their dog, depending upon how big a draw you are at the time. Given the speed of the ticket sales, they're going to be OK I reckon.
Of course, the difference here is that Tom and Andy can play much larger venues in their day-bands. Razorlight are playing the Utilita Arena in Newcastle next June which seats 11,000 whilst Editors are checking in at the Sportpaleis Antwerpen in March 2024 and that holds 23,000 people. I imagine that experiencing this level of intimacy with other people will be a real thrill, hopefully for both parties, especially since they were robbed of a similar opportunity when their second album came out because of...well, you know why. It's not that common for bands who reach grands level of achievement to return to these places where great things can begin, so if you got a ticket you should be in for a very special night. Gun to my head and a crystal ball in my hands, I'd say there will be a very partisan atmosphere when they take to the stage on the 12th.
Elsewhere, Elliott's venture into ramen expanded to allow djs to play in-house at his restaurant. You have to wonder if this was the plan all along, to combine a simultaneous love of Asian food with playing tunes. If it was, then it's mission complete. Well played, Sir.
Justin took a vacation in Paris and posted a stream of photos as he went but, as ever, I only included the ones where his family aren't directly the subjects.
It will shortly be 7 years since 2 copies of Dream Dark as Your Heaven made it out into the world as ultra-limited edition singles. How is this relevant, you might be asking? This song will ALWAYS be relevant for as long as we haven't heard it. The news cycle moves on, the itch never quite abates.
Editors Instagram - October 2023
For all of Editors' previous Instagram posts, go here.
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love :) x
