White Lies overcome illness to continue 'NME Presents' tour

White Lies battled with illness to play a triumphant headline set on the North America 'NME Presents' tour at the Bowery Ballroom in New York last night (March 27).

The London trio were forced to curtail their set during the previous night's (March 26) gig at the venue when singer Harry McVeigh developed throat problems.

However, after McVeigh spent the day mute on doctor's orders, the band returned to play a typically atmospheric set, which ended in a mass sing-along to 'Death'.

White Lies played:

'Farewell To The Fairgrounds'
'To Lose My Life'
'E.S.T.'
'A Place To Hide'
'Unfinished Business'
'Fifty On Foreheads'
'From The Stars'
'The Price Of Love'
'Death'

St Albans band Friendly Fires, meanwhile, played an energetic co-headline set, which saw singer Ed MacFarlane gyrate amongst the front rows of fans during 'On Board'.

Speaking to NME.COM after the gig, MacFarlane revealed that getting up close and personal with the crowd was becoming a common theme on the tour: "The Philadelphia gig was great - I was surrounded by girls dancing around me for most of the night."

He also confessed to being nervous when LCD Soundsystem man James Murphy turned up to Thursday's New York show: "I was shitting myself because we're all really big fans, but he was so nice. He's a very funny, witty man, and he said I had a great voice! That made me smile."

Friendly Fires played:

'Lovesick'
'Jump In The Pool'
'Skeleton Boy'
'In The Hospital'
'White Diamonds'
'Strobe'
'On Board'
'Paris'
'Ex Lover'

The gig kicked off with San Diego newcomers The Soft Pack, who ripped through a razor-sharp thirty minute set which culminated in a frenetic version of previous single 'Parasites'.

The 'NME Presents' tour continues tonight at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club, before visiting the following venues:

Montreal Les Saints (March 30)
Toronto Lee's Palace (31)
Ann Arbor Blind Pig (April 1)
Indianapolis Radio Radio (2)
Chicago Double Door (3)
Minneapolis Triple Rock Social Club (4)
Seattle Neumo's (7)
Vancouver Richard's on Richards (8)
Portland Doug Fir Lounge (9)
San Francisco Slims (11)

Keep checking NME.COM for more news, reviews and photos from the tour.

White Lies tickets: