Naysayers would call the line up of The Editors / Hot Hot Heat / Louis XIV a bunch of former buzz bands trying to break it back into the business. Fans would call it a bunch of former buzz bands still holding strong and holding their own. After last nights performance by all three acts at New York City's Terminal 5, all the naysayers can quickly shut their mouths.
2004 buzz band Louis XIV opened the show and played NYC for the first time three years. Singer Jason Hill was probably one of the most frightened front man I have ever seen, full knowing that a New York crowd will make or break his career and could ruin the bands re surging hype. Jason Hill and his band mates have nothing to fear, opening the show and raising the bar on a tight set playing songs from their debut The Best Little Secrets Are Kept and their latest Slick Dogs and Ponies (Due at end of month). This is a band who I never really cared for, but after displaying fantastic musicianship, energy and performance, I can understand why people take to them. What they lack on an album, they make up for live. After raising the bar and foreshadowing what was to come, Louis XIV made room for the rest of the nights acts to take the torch even further.
2003 buzz band Canada's Hot Hot Heat, ignited the stage and looked like they have so much fun doing what they do. Really getting the crowd involved and dancing away with their hybrid of new wave-rock-electro, they did not disappoint. Playing all of their hits, including "Bandages," "No Not Now," "Middle of Nowhere," and "Goodnight, Goodnight." Their catalogue of hits and songs you have defiantly herd before-but never knew who sang them, made their set all the more enjoyable. With Hot Hot Heat, once again the bar was raised.
2006 buzzers and headliners The Editors had a heavy weight to lift with openers as fantastic as Louis XIV and Hot Hot Heat. Birmingham England's pride hit the stage with their sound resembling a better version of Interpol and displaying a heavy influence from fellow UK acts such as Coldplay, Joy Division and Duran Duran. Singer Tom Smith played his guitar and jumped around on stage, banging his piano as if he was Chris Martin on crack. Smith's deep brash voice is one of the key elements to the bands sound and he never missed a beat. Playing a majority of songs off 2007's An End Has A Start, The Editors barnstormed a dance heavy set and looked as if they had no signs of stopping. I can understand now, why in the past 12 months they have played New York City a total of three times (excluding last night) and all three times there shows sell out so fast. Last night at Terminal 5 was no exception.