Wed 25 Jun – Radiohead, Bat For Lashes
Last night was about as perfect as you could get, the setlist was incredible, the weather and venue just fantastic and the atmosphere was great, particularly when the tension was built up beforehand by the mysterious backing track.
I even enjoyed the journey to the gig, such were the high spirits of all my delightful friends, my besties. Having finished my a levels on the same day, it was a perfect way to celebrate as i saw one of my favourite bands who i had yet to see live!
Getting there at 4.30 did mean getting a very numb bum but we got relatively close to the front and enjoyed ourselves although i was disappointed by
Bat for Lashes, not because of the quality of the sound, but more because i found her incredibly boring, not a patch on
Regina Spektor! But while she crooned on, my friend party was complete as James turned up from work and the fun could begin.
While unfortunately the atmosphere seemed a bit dull to begin with, i think that was more to do with the gorgeously soothing sunshine, and the support band. Things really started to get moving when the roadies came on stage, including one who looked uncanningly like
Thom Yorke!
Feverpitch amongst my friends and i was reached when
Radiohead finally came on, opening up surprisingly with
Recokoner. The opening bars were stunning, a moment i had been waiting for all my life and it finally happened, i was actually seeing Radiohead! However the feedback from the crowd was still a bit quiet, but reached its peak thus far when
Lucky was played with many people (me included) belting out the words and the top of our lungs... Luke; you were flat mate!
Radiohead really stepped it up a gear with
Myxomatosis and The National Anthem, especially due to the magical use of green and red 'tubular bells'. I was surprised to here Myxomatosis because its one of my favs on
Hail To The Thief, yet i thought it would not necessarily be a crowd pleaser. At this point i felt apart from a bit more crowd feedback, it just couldn't get any better; but then it did when
No Surprises was played. This track demonstrates the awesome sound quality of the gig, it was like "listening to Radiohead on record through the best sound system you've ever heard!" It was just perfect, and really got everyone singing along - it made me so so happy :)
So now I'm definitely on top of the world and i never want anyone to bring me down and that was maintained by one of my favourite tracks on
Kid A Optimistic, and the harrowing
Videotape. Videotape seemed to stun everyone into silence at this point and it was difficult for it to be picked up again, especially considering the crowd's nature. However i didn't really notice because another Kid A cracker,
Everything In Its Right Place, with Thom in the centre of the stage, came out of the bag.
It's sad then that considering my love for Idioteque and Bodysnatchers that i seemed to miss them being played, i must have been in a different zone, although i have a vague memory of the intro riff of Bodysnatchers. When the band went off for a brief interval, i was gutted because it was about 10 (the time they went off the night before) and thought they were leaving without playing either Karma Police or Paranoid Android.
How wrong was i?! When they played these two tracks (along with 2+2=5), i just couldn't believe the evening, or life itself could get any better. Finally the crowd really cranked it up, particularly during Karma Police and certain sections of 'Android. It left me, and many around me in complete euphoria, and a very horse voice! The 'bells at this point were a-rainbow of many colours, leading to a perfect ending to the evening. It was peculiar though because so many around me (including myself) were stunned into thinking it was over. I couldn't believe it, i wanted them to play for hours; certainly the best GIG of my life.
Highlights: Friends, the weather, beer, Thom's crazy dancing & an incredible set list
Lowlights: Lack of crowd reaction, my num bumb, Radiohead needed to be on for longer, lack of Street Spirit, Pyramid Song or Creep, the mission home and the disappointing support act
All in all though, as close to perfection as we are going to reach on Earth.
Setlist
1. Reckoner
2. 15 Step
3. There There
4. All I Need
5. Lucky
6. Nude
7. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
8. Myxomatosis
9. National Anthem
10. Faust Arp
11. No Surprises
12. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
13. Optimistic
14. Videotape
15. Everything In Its Right Place
16. Idioteque
17. Bodysnatchers
18. House of Cards
19. The Bends
20. Bangers and Mash
21. My Iron Lung
22. Karma Police
23. Go Slowly
24. 2+2=5
25. Paranoid Android
Thanks to
James for the photos, to my lovely friends for an amazing night out and
Drowned in Sound for the setlist.
