Within weeks of each other, the band had performed "The Great Defector" on two primetime late-night chat shows in both Ireland ("Tubridy Tonight") and the US (a return visit to "The Late Show With David Letterman"). Letterman hailed the song as "fantastic" afterwards. "Irish Independent" journalist Eamon Sweeney described the song as "the best thing on the airwaves at the moment". "The Ribs of a Broken Umbrella", the second single to be taken from "Blue Lights On The Runway", was later released.