Gig Review: Razorlight/Editors/Dykeenies

Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh August 26, 2007

If I’d been told The dykeenies were going to be the support (and it’s not even on the posters at the gig) I would have got here a lot earlier. Live they sound a lot more ‘epic’ than on vinyl, and the singles ‘Clean Up your Eyes’ ‘Waiting For Go’ and’New Ideas’ win over a great many people. Their album is out soon, which will hopefully get them more of the coverage and attention they so clearly deserve.

There’s a massive cheer as the Editors take to the stage and tear it up. Whilst they don’t talk a great deal to the crowd, they interract and the crwod fall for them hook line and sinker. When they go into ‘Bullets’ the thought occurs that, like Scotland’s own Franz Ferdinand, they are a guitar band who write fantastic dance tunes. ‘ The newer tracks see Tom playing Piano a lot more (thought for the day: Chris Martin started doing this a lot more around the time of Coldplay’s second album), and even the mellower tracks do not dampen the crowds enthusiasm. The version of ‘Munich’ they play is nothing less than incendiary. ‘Blood’ and ‘All Sparks’ sound like thy will be dragging even the most reluctant dancer’s onto the floors of indie discos for years to come, and probably further afield. Before they play ‘Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors’ Tom comments that ‘It’s Bank Holiday tomorrow…I love bank holidays.’ Hmm, someone ought to tell him that they are different in Scotland, but we won’t hold a set as wonderful as this against them.

A few personal reflections: I’ve watched Razorlight go from being the support band at Suede’s final Scottish gig in December 2003, to having no.1 albums and singles and headlining gigs like this. To my frustration, I’ve seen singer Johnny Borrell act less like the frontman with the most self-belief since Richard Ashcroft’s ‘Mad Richard’ days, and more like an arrogant idiot. The groans that I have endured when I tell friends and colleagues who I was going to see have backed this up.

So it’s with a sense of trepidation that Razorlight come on, and I wonder just Razorlight are going to do. Well, sorry naysayers, but they play a fantastic show. Playing to the crowd but without acting like arrogant pigs. From the minute they begin with ‘In the Morning’ I am reminded why I fell for Razorlight. It’s the tunes. And Bjorn’s guitar. But above all, the songs. they play ‘Golden Touch’ and the 10:15 Saturday Night-influenced guitar still chimes beautifully. Borrell resembles an 80’s Jagger in his trousers and vest. ‘Can’t Stop This feeling I got’ ‘Dalston’ ‘Fall To Pieces’. despite all the flack flung at them, and some of it may have been bought upon themselves, the music still speaks for itself. ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Lies’ reminds us of how the promise of this early single has now been realised, though the red lights background on ‘Vice’ is a little obvious.

Oh, what the hell. Yes, I still like Razorlight’s music a lot. And live last night I didn’t change my opinion. So sue me!

Razorlight -‘Golden Touch.’ mp3

Razorlight -‘(Don’t Go Back To) Dalston.’ mp3

Editors -‘Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors.’ mp3

Editors -‘Munich.’ mp3