After a rain-lashed trip to Portsmouth Guildhall on Sunday night, I was in no mood to be anything less than entertained and happily Editors did not disappoint. However I couldn’t quite get myself into their support act The Strange Death of Liberal England. I had been told beforehand to expect a sort of cross between Arcade Fire and Mogwai, with a dash of the Pixies for good measure. All I can conclude is that they must lean heavily on Arcade Fire as the two groups sound almost exactly alike, which may explain the feeling I got that I had heard something like this before, and certainly their use of Frank Black and company’s patented ‘ loud, quiet, loud’ formula was audible for all to hear as the set progressed though what Frank Black and company would have made of it I cannot say.

What I can tell you is the Editors sound has progressed from their early comparisons to the late great Joy Division. Material from the new album ‘ In This Light and On This Evening’, while retaining the influence of the Manchester miserablists, has been thrown into a melting pot alongside the likes of Echo & The Bunnymen and Gary Numan, visually as well as musically, as they tore through numbers from ‘The Back Room’ and ‘An End Has A Start’. The highlight for me being a rendition of ‘Munich’ although in fairness everything was delivered with the same solid instrumental precision against a clever visual backdrop of Eighties-style shape arrangements. As well as a nice still image of the ‘ Back Room’ album cover in black and white which made it curiously reminiscent of A-ha’s video for ‘Take On Me’ in terms of style. Perhaps another nod to the Eighties but perhaps unintentional.

I had seen them before in support to REM at the Rose Bowl last summer and was unsure what to make of them but now having seen them on their own merits so to speak I feel I can make better comment on them and believe that their sound is infinitely more interesting now than it had been then. Perhaps a measure of how far things can evolve in a short space of time in music, and much like REM it appears they have tried to go back to their roots while adding to their sonic armoury. It certainly would seem that they have taken notes from Michael Stipe and company alongside contemporaries of theirs, most obviously the gloriously obscure Pylon ( those curious to learn more are advised to seek out ‘Dead Letter Office’) by REM which contains a cover of their best known song ‘Crazy’, incidentally the original was played on the night before Editors came on, as good a nod as any). Further entertainment was provided by my mental game of ‘spot the song’ as the PA played between bands, and I am sorry to report that I fail miserably when it comes to modern music- the only four songs I could identify were ( in order)- the aforementioned ‘Crazy’, Nirvana’s ‘Lounge Act’, Echo & The Bunnymen’s ‘ A Promise’ and Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’.

But all in all a good night and it comes recommended for fans of the resolutely British Bunnymen, Joy Division, The Cure etc as well as those who like their REM and similar acts to broaden the palate, you’ll find something you like I’m sure, and such precision and stagecraft deserves an audience.