Part 3 of 3!!!! (I've finally caught up!) (The Editors and Stellastarr*, March 28th, Warsaw...Brooklyn)

I hate Williamsburg. I decided this last night after arriving in Williamsburg for the Editors' concert at Warsaw. I'd always thought that I might like the place, but I was horribly wrong.

"Hipster capital! Cool! It'll be fun to observe! I'm there!"..."What is this? Rural Brooklyn infested with trendy hipsters? This is no place for an almost-scenester like me."

But for now, I'll put away my new eternally burning grudge against that forsaken town and move to lighter things. In fact, I'll move to the reason that I was in Williamsburg in the first place: The Editors and Stellastarr* gig.

Warsaw is a nice venue. It's quaint. For a venue, that's what it is: Quaint. It's got a room for the bar, a room for socializing and merch (in the case of a concert), and it has a room for the show. The best part about the venue however was the fact that there was no barrier between the stage and the crowd. We were literally right against the stage. This fact allowed for an intimacy that I have never felt before in prior barriered gigs.

Starting the show was The Mobius Band. They seemed alright at the time. A simple band; 3 guys, one guitar, one bass, one drum, a keyboard, and an electronic noisemaker. Their set however was a bit boring. Their songs were all slow, and the songs that did attempt to bring up the energy ended up sounding like just that: an attempt. I definitely see potential, however, there is still some major work to be done.



The next band up was one of the double headliners (though it was clear from the start that only one headliner really mattered): Stellastarr*. I've been following this band (ish) for a couple years now, but I was unsure of what to expect. I started listening to them while I was in an odd emo state (I admit, I tried to be emo at a time. I'm sorry) a couple years ago, and I only had vague recollections of the original album ("S/T." dark at parts, but also a lot of danceable tunes) and even fewer of their new album ("Harmonies for the Haunted". Dark. The title says it all). The band kicked it off with "In the Walls" off their first album, and with the hypnotizing lull of the guitar I was suddenly hit with a wave of nostalgia so strong, it occupied my conscious thoughts till the end of the set. The set however, was surprisingly unimpressive considering their road history (they've been around for a couple years now, you'd think they'd have perfected something). The frontman did seem like he had just done a line or two of coke before the show and that added some interest, but all in all, I was let down by a band that I had mediocre expectations for.




Then, finally, the band we'd all been waiting for took the stage. New York and British hipsters joined together to welcome The Editors to the show. For all the hype, I had some pretty high expectations for this show. Suffice it to say however, I was completely blown away by the Editors. From the first note to the very last, they carried with them an energy and rock star professionalism that placed them upon a pedestal only few bands have been allowed to grace in my mind. Each song sounded studio quality. That is, studio quality infused with an energy that only a live show by a truly phenomenal band could bring. Dancing like a fool, I forgave Williamsburg temporarily for the strife I was caused if they could bring me a band like this. Really a top notch band. My verdict: If you ever get a chance to see these boys play, jump on it (Thanks again Lauren! You're the source of a lot of my happiness), you won't be disappointed.

Oh and did I mention that the L-train sucks and shouldn't shut down when you need to get back to Manhattan at 12 am. (It took us 2 1/2 hours to get home from Warsaw.

Stellastarr* - My Coco
The Editors - Fingers In The Factory