LIVE REVIEW: Radiohead

Radiohead's lead singer Thom Yorke, performs at the Ford Amphitheatre on Tuesday night. [JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times]

TAMPA -- From the look of the zombiefied masses at a near-sold-out Ford Amphitheatre Tuesday, you'd think the 17,500 in attendance were bored or stunned or undead.

But that's exactly what a crowd should look like at a Radiohead show. If you came to hear the famously obtuse British rock band bust out the dance jams or incite arena-rocking sing-alongs -- or, um, play the stuff you know -- you no doubt want your money back.

But if you came to quietly enjoy a tech-nerdy quintet work out its Kafka-esque angst via less obvious tracks that shifted from frustrating to quirky to soul-clutching gorgeous, you floated from the venue blissed-out and satisfied.

(Oh, and if you came to gawk at a state-of-the-art light show featuring dozens of floor-length strobes that seemingly danced in unison to each song -- exploding in orange fireworks to the new "Reckoner," morphing into an underwater paradise for "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" -- wow, dude, that was one of the trippiest things I've ever seen.)
   
With the mind of a mathematician and the voice of a wounded angel, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke proved once again to be a beautiful misfit, a Lewis Carollian character obsessed with alienation and alien nations, strange equations and fake plastic trees.

Oh yeah, he's mad as a hatter. But man, can he wail, sending shivers through the throngs with soaring, searing readings of 1997's "Airbag" and 2000's prickly "Everything in Its Right Place." He also showed a rather refreshing puckish side, hamming it up for a piano-mounted fish-eye lens during the comically defiant "You and Whose Army?"

Much hullabaloo ensued last year when Radiohead ditched its longtime label, EMI, and decided to sell new album "In Rainbows" themselves. For the digital version of the album, they even let fans pay whatever they wanted.

It made a swell business story, for sure. But the main reason it worked is because Yorke & Co., even two decades after forming, have been able to reinvent themselves to thrilling, and at times confounding, extremes.

They've literally turned their formerly raging, melody-rich songs inside out, and upside down, exploring their odd, anti-pop urges with bleeps and bloops and whatever else they can find in their addled pysches.

Guitarist Jonny Greenwood spent most of the night trying to make his guitar and his keyboard sound like anything but a guitar and a keyboard. For "There There," he freaked out on his axe, making those strings sing out like a swarm of sick birds. On "Lucky," from 1997's masterful "OK Computer," he conjured a heavenly landscape for Yorke's operatic malaise.

The brainy boys kept things relatively downbeat, but they did decide to let loose now and then. The new "Bodysnatchers" sounded like a surf-rock rumbler done by the Talking Heads. And a ferocious encore version of "Just," from 1995's even-more-masterful "The Bends," proved that when these guys cut loose, they can rock as hard as anyone.

Of course, the crowd pretty much absorbed those upbeat cuts just like all the others: swaying, nodding, smiling on the inside.

Comments

[Chris]

Nice review, Sean...I think the song from "The Bends" was actually "The Bends," not "Just."

I found it interesting that the crowd seemed more familiar with the new stuff than the old--has it really been 11 years since "OK Computer?" Even more scary, it's been 7 years since "Amnesiac." Yikes.

[CJ]

Longtime Florida resident... first (and last) show at Ford Amphitheatre. The parking is atrocious and would try the patience of a saint. I was so pissed! My party spent nearly 2 hours moving less than 2 miles, creeping into the venue's sprawling, disjointed parking maze via one lane... we missed the first song!
How about some signs on the freeway for Amphitheatre parking or traffic cops directing people to take Orient Road as well as the Fairground exit?

[bigmac]

Just was the encore but they also played The Bends. You and Whose Army was killer, Nude gave me the chills. The National Anthem! Just! Thom freaking out during Idioteque! Oh God it was awesome. But alas, where art thou Jigsaw? My favorite song from In Rainbows and it's the only one they don't play.

[Sean Daly]

"Just" was the last song I saw live, before I had to scamper off and create word magic. ("Can't get the stink off / He's been hanging around for days...") Totally rockin'. Very cathartic for those of us who consider the album "The Bends" a modern masterpiece.

[NickWithAnAxe]

I'm a trifle jealous. Love Radiohead. Never been able to see them live.

I've long said that Thom Yorke reminds me of the elf that wants to be a dentist. You know the one I mean...

[Marissa]

That would be Hermie the Elf. David Spade reminds me of that little dude, too.

Great review Sean. I know very little about Radiohead (cuz I'm a dork), but this has inspired me to do a little listening and tweaking on my iPod.

[bigmac]

The Bends doesn't get the love it deserves, with all the attention going to OK Computer. It had so many hits on it too. They played The Bends in the second encore, so I guess you missed that one. The definition of sadness is leaving a Radiohead show and not hearing any of your favorite songs. But in a sad Christmas kind of way. Like I opened all my presents and it was fun and all, but I didn't get the Red Ryder BB gun.

[Marissa]

Holy cover version, Batman! "Just" is covered by Mark Ronson. Whoa!

Hey Sean (and distinguished Radiohead fans), maybe someone could suggest a set of must haves to get me started on my Radiohead journey.

My ex had "Pablo Honey," but he only played "Creep" and he took the CD in the divorce.

[Woland]

How about a set list, fellas?!

[bigmac]

Radiohead is my favorite band. I have everything except Pablo Honey, being the oldest disc and all, it was swiped from my residence during a party many years ago. The way to enjoy Radiohead in my opinion is to go in chronological order. Start with The Bends for some 90's style rock, then OK Computer. If you make it through those two albums, you can try Kid A for some pretty advanced Radiohead insanity. The thing about Radiohead is they don't sell single mp3, and you have to buy the whole album (if you're doing it legit.) You can probably catch some amature videos of this show on You Tube already.

[bigmac]

*whips out set list and acknowledges complete dorkiness

1. All I Need
2. There There
3. Lucky
4. Bangers and Mash
5. 15 Step
6. Nude
7. Pyramid Song
8. Optimistic
9. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
10. National Anthem
11. Idioteque
12. You And Whose Army?
13. Reckoner
14. Everything In Its Right Place
15. Airbag
16. Bodysnatchers
17. Videotape

First Encore

18. The Gloaming
19. The Tourist
20. Just
21. Faust Arp
22. Exit Music

Second Encore

23. The Bends
24. House of Cards

[Marissa]

bigmac, first let me say you're the Mack-Daddy!
Other than "In Rainbows" you're right about individual tracks being sold (amazon.com). 'Tis okay. I'm a wild woman and I'll jump in head first. Since I actually recognize "Just" I'm downloading THE BENDS first. And because SD hails it a masterpiece...I rely on him for adding coolness to my iPod.

[Woland]

Thanks, bigmac! The set list was pretty similar to the one in WPB on Monday night. Spectacular show. I'm jealous they played Lucky in Tampa, although Street Spirit was the finale in WPB, and I think it was a better closer than House of Cards. They still have not played Jigsaw Falling Into Play...bizarre considering it was released as a single...

[Joseph]

This show significantly improved my perception of the Ford Ampatheatre. After seeing Dave Matthews Band there, I was disappointed with the parking situation and sound quality. Taking MLK from I-75 and using the main fair entrance was much less of a headache than coming from I-275. The sound quality was much louder and clearer even on the hill at Radiohead last night. Bodysnatchers blew me away. I think they played enough hits to satisfy the crowd.

[Jolay]

what an absolutly corny review. Obviously not a fan. A lot of descriptive words describing nothing.

[bigmac]

Woland - wow, Street Spirit! cool. I thought the set list was perfectly balanced. Lots from In Rainbows for the newer fans plus a few concert standards like National Anthem and Idioteque plus tons of material from Ok Computer/Kid A for the old fans.

[Bassnote]

Marissa, I'm an early Radiohead fan, not so much from Kid A on. But, I do like what I have heard from In Rainbows. I have some songs from the first three albums to suggest for you:

Creep (you will remember this song)
Stop Whispering
Fake Plastic Trees (find the acoustic version on the Clueless soundtrack)
High and Dry
My Iron Lung
Just
Paranoid Android
Electioneering
Exit Music (For A Film)
Karma Police

[scooterbucs]

The Bends is Radiohead's most radio-friendly album; and their best imo. I think OK Computer and Kid A got too much love from critics--they were the "grunge" band that broke free when grunge was on its last legs.

[chaps]

You nailed the review, Daly! I'm seeing them with Guy this upcoming Sunday. As a HUGE Radiohead fan, I would agree to give the BENDS a try first, which contains a lot of their best songs, but OK COMPUTER is their best album (concept album that flows). PABLO HONEY is vastly underrated, but it has some good rock songs. AMNESIAC is slightly better than KID A, but the two are more experimental, and contain fantastic songs. HAIL TO THE THIEF is excellent as well, but they put a few too many songs on it. Unlike, the recent IN RAINBOWS which is great, but much better with the bonus songs (18 songs, not the 10 song release). If you like or love this band (which not everyone will) you must see them live!

Best Albums by Radiohead (in order): (in my opinion)

OK Computer
The Bends
In Rainbows
Amnesiac
Hail to the Thief
Kid A
Pablo Honey

Just saw on Amazon that they have a greatest hits (2CD) coming out on June 3rd.

[Joshua]

Apparently Sean didn't go to the same concert I went to. I felt like the crowd was extremely active and into the show. Maybe Sean's tickets weren't as good as mine. However that concert was tremendous after going to a show the night before (Kanye West) and following it with that mind blowing experience I can definitely say that this was an amazing experience. If Sean had continued to listen to music after the late 80's he would have seen how great of a show it really was. Sean if you want to just rock out and mosh you're probably at the wrong show. Maybe you can get RATM to come to town and then you will be satisfied?

[Anthony]

Radiohead was awesome, the crowd was a bunch of jerks. Talking on cell phones, spilling beer on people.

Radiohead only comes once in a blue moon and these people were more worried about socializing.

And as for the hippie who sat next to me and has seen them 23 times and talked the entire time...thanks for ruining my first time.

Radiohead=Awesome.

Tampa Crowd=SUCKS.

[Rizzo]

Anthony, you hit it dead on. The crowd was awful. I felt like they were treating Radiohead like an opening band. Who goes to the bathroom during Radiohead? Who needs to drink 10 beers during Radiohead? Tampa fans.

It's Radiohead, not the Yucs, I mean Bucs.

[Chris]

I'm with Sean and Anthony, the crowd all around with me was talking incessantly, taking pictures and videos with their cellphones, and running back and forth to get more beer. There was very little apparent recognition of the songs being played, except for a guy next to me who only got excited when they played songs from the new album--he kept telling the guys with him, "YEAH, THIS IS FROM THE NEW ALBUM!!" And then when the stuff from "OK Computer" starts, there wasn't even a hint of recognition. Then again, I'm the guy who sat there and heard "Just" in the encore, and totally forgot it, so what do I know?

I'd like to second the lousy sound (and of course, parking) comments. I was in the 2nd row of the back section (not the lawn) and it just didn't seem loud and distinct enough. Combined with the talking all around, I felt more like the concert was on a big video screen being broadcast from some other location.

[bigmac]

Anthony & Rizzo - The person in front of me got up to go to the bathroom, then called the guy sitting next to him on his cell phone because he couldn't find his way back to his seat, then came back with two beers. Astounding.

[kay]

i had some pretty great seats and the crowd around me was nothing like the crowd you guys are describing. most of us - and i didn't know anyone - knew everything and sang along with all of it. quietly.

i have all of their recordings, including some imports, and one of the best things about their shows is not knowing what to count on. i'm very glad they play the things non-fans know. it's like christmas to me; opening unexpected gifts.

i've waited so long for this and i couldn't be happier unless i knew i was going to see them again on this tour.

as far as the person who hated the venue - i planned on crap parking - and you gotta plan on it with 17thousandsome folks. i didn't care. the weather was awesome and the sound was great and i would rather be there with radiohead than anywhere else.

[Chris]

Do you really have to plan on bad parking? I've been to Bucs games with 60,000, Rays games with 30,000 and Gator games with 90,000 and it NEVER took me 70 minutes to get there from 1/2 mile away.

By the way, during those 70 minutes, I saw 3 of the 4 people in the car in front of me (and 2 of the people in the one behind me) get out and urinate on the pavement. Including a female. Classy!

We had a great time at the show. We got seats up close till we got kicked out to our own seats. I was looking over towards the bathroom area and could not believe of ALL the People! Why would ANYONE leave the music and be by the bathrooms?? Oh yea, beer! wow it DID look like a bucs game as far as beer consumption. We came for the music and loved it!

[Steve L]

See below for my review of the review. Some levity for you Daly fans:

The best post:
what an absolutly corny review. Obviously not a fan. A lot of descriptive words describing nothing.
Posted by: Jolay | May 07, 2008 at 09:31 AM

TAMPA -- From the look of the zombiefied masses at a near-sold-out Ford Amphitheatre Tuesday, you'd think the 17,500 in attendance were bored or stunned or undead.

Near sold out? Didn’t it sell out in an hour or two? He reveals his affinity for rap/bubblegum pop screamfests (Kanye? Gwen Stefani?) by stating that he thought the crowd was bored or stunned.

But that's exactly what a crowd should look like at a Radiohead show. If you came to hear the famously obtuse British rock band bust out the dance jams or incite arena-rocking sing-alongs -- or, um, play the stuff you know -- you no doubt want your money back.

How can anyone (except a non fan) say that Radiohead did not play any of the stuff you know?? With the exception of Creep which everyone (every fan anyway) knows they won’t play, would you please tell me what big RH hit they did NOT play? If he’s alluding to songs like Fake Plastic Trees or Paranoid Android- those are merely slightly more well known tracks (which is relative- well known to RH fans perhaps) from their oeuvre. National Anthem? Everything In Its Right Place? Airbag? Bodysnatchers? Exit Music for a Film? The Bends? These are all well known tracks to any RH fan- and if you’re not a RH fan you won’t know ANY of their music, save Creep.

But if you came to quietly enjoy a tech-nerdy quintet work out its Kafka-esque angst via less obvious tracks that shifted from frustrating to quirky to soul-clutching gorgeous, you floated from the venue blissed-out and satisfied.

What is ‘tech nerdy’? I knew he’d work the word ‘nerd’ into a RH review. Kafka-esque? Soul clutching? Blissed out? Classis recycled Daly speak that makes me and anyone else with a semblance of original thought want to vomit.

(Oh, and if you came to gawk at a state-of-the-art light show featuring dozens of floor-length strobes that seemingly danced in unison to each song -- exploding in orange fireworks to the new "Reckoner," morphing into an underwater paradise for "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" -- wow, dude, that was one of the trippiest things I've ever seen.)

Here he never answers himself: “Oh, and if you came to gawk at a state of the art light show…then what? He goes off and has a DT (Daly Tangent) and never gets back to finishing his thought. Small favors.

With the mind of a mathematician and the voice of a wounded angel, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke proved once again to be a beautiful misfit, a Lewis Carollian character obsessed with alienation and alien nations, strange equations and fake plastic trees.

Ugh, must I go on? Mind of a mathematician? Says who? And what does that mean- that their music is multilayered and could possibly have several meanings and some depth? Revelation! But not mathematician. And why is Yorke deemed a misfit? Because he’s short and a bit odd (odd meaning not fitting the Daly stereotype of pop star)?

Oh yeah, he's mad as a hatter. But man, can he wail, sending shivers through the throngs with soaring, searing readings of 1997's "Airbag" and 2000's prickly "Everything in Its Right Place." He also showed a rather refreshing puckish side, hamming it up for a piano-mounted fish-eye lens during the comically defiant "You and Whose Army?"

Contradicts himself here by mentioning only well known tracks (of course).

Much hullabaloo ensued last year when Radiohead ditched its longtime label, EMI, and decided to sell new album "In Rainbows" themselves. For the digital version of the album, they even let fans pay whatever they wanted.
It made a swell business story, for sure. But the main reason it worked is because Yorke & Co., even two decades after forming, have been able to reinvent themselves to thrilling, and at times confounding, extremes.
They've literally turned their formerly raging, melody-rich songs inside out, and upside down, exploring their odd, anti-pop urges with bleeps and bloops and whatever else they can find in their addled pysches.

Bleeps? Bloops? "addled psyches"? More tripe.

Guitarist Jonny Greenwood spent most of the night trying to make his guitar and his keyboard sound like anything but a guitar and a keyboard. For "There There," he freaked out on his axe, making those strings sing out like a swarm of sick birds. On "Lucky," from 1997's masterful "OK Computer," he conjured a heavenly landscape for Yorke's operatic malaise.

Sigh- Greenwood’s guitar sounded very much like a guitar to me, albeit played well. Ditto keyboard. Actually I’m sure it was a synthesizer and not just a “keyboard” hence different utility and sounds. And again, clichés abound. “he freaked out on his axe, making those strings sing out like a swarm of sick birds.” Are you kidding me? “he conjured a heavenly landscape for Yorke's operatic malaise.” Can anyone spell C-L-I-C-H-E?

The brainy boys kept things relatively downbeat, but they did decide to let loose now and then. The new "Bodysnatchers" sounded like a surf-rock rumbler done by the Talking Heads. And a ferocious encore version of "Just," from 1995's even-more-masterful "The Bends," proved that when these guys cut loose, they can rock as hard as anyone.
Of course, the crowd pretty much absorbed those upbeat cuts just like all the others: swaying, nodding, smiling on the inside.

Again, sigh. Convert: A; Review: lets just say Daly wrote it and leave it at that.

Cheers.

[Chris]

I think it's fair to say that the group didn't play its most well-known songs...

No "Street Spirit," "Fake Plastic Trees," or "High and Dry" from "The Bends"

No "Paranoid Android," "No Surprises," or "Karma Police," from "OK Computer"

No "Creep or "Stop Whispering."

I know those are all from their earlier albums but nearly all of them were accompanied by well-known and stylish videos that a part-time fan would remember, and didn't hear last night. Personally, if I'd made a list of my top 10 songs-I-hope-they-play, they played maybe one of them ("Idioteque").

I'll admit, I think it's a little much so suggest demanding your money back, though. It's not like they're a singles band (or Van Morrison, who played nothing from "Moondance" or "Astral Weeks" on trip to Ruth Eckerd a few years ago...grr).

As for the cliches, I think that's a little unfair. Radiohead are the single-most critically acclaimed and written about band since Nirvana--what can you say that hasn't already been said?

[Steve L]

Chris: 'Radiohead are the single-most critically acclaimed and written about band since Nirvana--what can you say that hasn't already been said?'

Something original, hence the "complaints".

Listen, this isn't rocket science here, but when every review is the same maudlin, cliche laden, thesaurus dripping shiite recycled for the band of the night it grows tiresome.

That's all I'm sayin'.

I still have this silly grin and feel like I'm sleepwalking because I can't get this show out of my head. I'm going to make a cd based on the playlist from this show and burn it off today so I have a hard copy. I'm only missing one song and that's Bangers and Mash.

[Guy]

SWM, late 30-something, balding, lives in his mom's basement (I'm moving out soon, honestly), wannabe-pop music critic, freelancer for a free, advertisement-laden, finger-staining alt-weekly ($50 an article!) seeking SWF (pulse optional).

Interested? Contact me at stevel@i'mjealousofdaly.com

[Steve L]

That was clever Sean...I mean ""Guy". ;)

[Guy]

It's a shame the way that Radiohead insists on ignoring vast swaths of their catalog - it would be like attending a Springsteen show and hearing all of Nebraska but having the Boss mostly ignore Born to Run and Darkness.

It would still be an enjoyable show but fall short of what could have been.

[Forever Fiancee]

That was harsh, Steve L! Give the poor guy a break. He's been working non-stop for weeks now, just to entertain the masses. He has a terrible cold and hasn't had a decent night's sleep since last Wednesday.

And I can assure you that "Guy" is very real. He's a true smartass and we love him for it!

[Steve L]

Calling all Daly BFF’s! Hurry, someone’s on to your cuddly cousin again!

Relax folks- it’s called constructive criticism; at least it was until I got to the end of this latest mush fest which follows the template to a “t”.

Let’s see- collect synonyms from an extremely dog eared thesaurus (online these days, but, well, you know) based on preconceived notions regarding the band in question. Sprinkle liberally throughout the review. Take care to drop the names of songs played making sure to include songs you’re not familiar with (most in this case). Add sugar, syrup, corn syrup and honey and bake for 10 minutes. Hey look- Betty Crocker reviewed Radiohead! Result: a Radiohead review with a glazed donut. Yummy, thanks Sean. Hey, give it back!

By the way, “Guy”- don’t mistake vehement disagreement for jealousy. And check out that song list one last time- there are thoughtful selections from most of their catalog.

FF- we all work hard. I’m sure Sean’s a nice guy (I can only presume y’all are friends or family) but I’m just trying to keep it real.

[bigmac]

I disagree Guy. They didn't play the songs I wanted to hear the most either, but they are mostly an album type of band and there are 7 albums and so many songs to choose from so it's not like you will get every song you want to hear. Radiohead is well known for changing their set list from show to show so it's not like they won't play any of their most popular songs, you just didn't get to hear the ones you wanted on your particular night. It kind of sucks but that's Radiohead and not knowing what songs you will get at your show is kind of fun for a lot of the fans. They played nearly the entire In Rainbows cd, and that was basically a free cd giveaway so right there are 9 songs from the show that everyone there should have known.

And this bickering needs to stop cause you guys are bringing me down from what's left of my concert high:-)

[Steve L]

Bigmac- you were both wise and helpful (big props for the set list) throughout this thread. You're right; enough said. I thought it was a great show with nary a twinge of dissapointment, but that's just me.