This is the first professionally recorded version of one of Tom's solo gigs that we have, and it's in a very special place. Even though we don't get the full, extended set lists that he was able to play on the road with Nic last year and earlier in this one, what we do have is a perfect summary.
Werchter has been the venue where some magical Editors memories have been manifested throughout the years. There was the most obvious one in 2010, where Jason got became lost in a crowd during No Sound but the Wind. There was an equally important one 2 years later when they played what could have been their final show ever. The run through of Two Hearted Spider there remains to this day one of the most emotional renditions of any of their songs. This time in 2026, we came full circle and once again No Sound but the Wind stole the show. The song that ended up in demo form on a teen vampire movie, which has had so many rebirths over the years still manages to show something new.
What I admire most about this set is the utter simplicity of it all. Two guys, some instruments and the ability to reach across a room full of people and make some of them cry. Literally cry. Just with music, passion and intent. It was impossible not to compare this to last week's Pinkpop set, but that was communication with decibels and pace. This was everything slowed, focused and issued as a direct entreaty for connection. Luckily for them, the crowd were perceptive and receptive. After all, it takes a certain skill to be able to take a songs that they've played thousands of times, like An End Has a Start, and still make it sound vital. Also, watch how Papillon goes over just as effectively quietly, as when 6 people are playing it at full volume from a festival stage.
Lately, I have some questions that I've been pondering (I always do). What would Tom's solo record have sounded like with Nic as a co-writer? I'll take that a step further. What would Editors have sounded like if Nic had been involved earlier as a member of the group? It would have been interesting to see him in the band when they did In This Light and on This Evening, when they were first starting to experiment. They would regularly swap instruments on stage, and Nic would have been perfect for that given his talents as a multi-instrumentalist.
Tom playing his "own songs" like this is going to be a thing of the past shortly, as Editors gain their tour-cycle momentum and take flight promoting Surface, Echo and Sound. We wondered for years what it would look like if he went solo, and having seen it and gotten used to it, it'll be sad to let it go.
Enjoy the artefacts ;)
Video available to download via covert shares
MP3s
Sugar - download here
Life is for Living - download here
Munich - download here
Leave - download here
An End Has a Start - download here
The Phone Book - download here
Deep Dive - download here
The Lights of NYC - download here
Smokers - download here
The Rush - download here
Northern Line - download here
Papillon - download here
No Sound but the Wind - download here
All in a Zip - download here
Bonus Materials - Studio Brussel Secret Session
Studio Brussel have a great history with doing right by Editors, and this continues that trend. On the day of Tom and Nic playing Rock Werchter they were invited to play a small, intimate set to a tiny crowd as part of their "Secret Sessions". It took place adjacent to where Studio Brussel were doing their live festival coverage and if you look closely at various points, you'll see Eva De Roo doing her thing next door. I would love to know how the audience were selected. Was this a radio contest thing?
What we get is a brief acoustic set which crucially contains the two most recent Editors releases as part of the show. I was struck by how, of all the songs played here, The Rush is the one that gets the biggest reaction. Considering it's relative novelty as a composition, it seems to have an undeniable immediacy. The energy in the room visibly changes. You can see it most clearly if you watch the gentleman to Tom's left, who even knows some of the words. Some songs just have that "thing" where repeated listens aren't required to fully connect, and The Rush has it. Or maybe it's the mystical power of the mandolin in full effect?
Also worth noting is that Broken Time, a song that didn't make it onto the Klub C set list later that day is also present here.
MP3s
Life is for Living - download here
Call it In - download here
Broken Time - download here
The Rush - download here
All in a Zip - download here
brought to you with lemming-love ;)
