This past Wednesday, I caught Editors and Louis XIV at the Roseland here in Portland. Hot Hot Heat was supposed to play as well but the word was the lead singer was having throat issues.  Too bad, as it would have been a better show with them playing. 

I've seen Hot Hot Heat and Louis XIV play together before. Even that first time I just couldn't find much love for Louis XIV. At the time, "Finding Out True Love is Blind" was hitting the airwaves, but seeing them live didn't add anything, especially when followed by a bouncy pop band live Hot Hot Heat. Louis XIV ends up looking like a Thursday night bar band that got really lucky. So when I heard that Louis XIV was going to be on the bill again for the Editors show, I was consoled that I'd still get to see two great bands in Hot Hot Heat and Editors.

HHH, I missed you tremendously. Louis XIV seemed even more the bar band when followed by the energy and artistry of Editors. The one good note on Louis XIV was that I like their new single "Air Traffic" but you can't have a successful concert on one song. 

Editors are a band I've wanted to see for some time. Each time they put out a single, I think they can't improve on their formula and yet they do. "All Sparks", "Munich", "Smokers Outside a Hospital" sounded as good as on the album with an added fervor by lead singer Tom Smith who on occasion thrashed around the stage with his guitar as if he was trying to wring as much sound and reverberation out as possible. I think it was "An End Has a Start" that finally sealed the love affair. I'm not longer an admirer, I'm a fan.

Here's a taste of Editors live in concert: