British rock bands The Maccabees and Editors performed at Radio X's On The Beach event in Brighton on July 28, 2026.
The show featured live sets and discussions about upcoming projects and past touring experiences.
The Maccabees Return with New Songs
The Maccabees headlined the event with a 19-track setlist. The performance included songs from their four studio albums and their recent release, Ballad of So Long.
Before taking the stage, vocalist Orlando Weeks and guitarist Hugo White discussed working on new material after an eight-year hiatus.
Weeks noted that playing new songs is a big step for the band.
“We didn't have any songs, and now we have some songs,” Weeks said.
He added that one track they are confident about and enjoy playing live, while others are still being developed.
White said performing without an album campaign has been amazing. It allows the band to celebrate their past catalog while gradually introducing new material.
“It's just celebrating what the band was from the beginning,” White explained. The current run gives a hint of the future, showing there is more to come.
When asked about Harry Styles' hit As It Was, produced by their collaborator Tom Hull, White called it a great pop song.
Weeks agreed, attributing its success to the quality of the production team.
Editors Recall R.E.M. Tour and Look Ahead
Editors frontman Tom Smith reflected on supporting R. E.
M. in 2008.
He described R. E.
M. as a band that made him want to write songs and be in a band.
Smith recalled how R. E.
M. members interacted backstage.
Guitarist Peter Buck and bassist Mike Mills were more laid-back, while frontman Michael Stipe was intense but kind.
“When he gave you his attention, it was like eye to eye,” Smith said of Stipe. He called Stipe an inspiration and an amazing singer and lyricist.
Smith expressed a desire to return to major festival stages, including Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage, which Editors first played in 2008.
He also recalled a past performance at Red Rocks in Colorado where the band played in the car park instead of the main stage.
Editors are preparing to release their eighth studio album, Surface, Echo & Sound, on October 30, 2026.
They will support the album with a UK and European tour from January to March 2027.
