AT EASE [a radiohead site @ ateaseweb.com]


adriaan@ateaseweb.com 23-06-01 The Gorge Amphitheatre, George, USA
01 National Anthem 02 Morning Bell 03 Lucky 04 My Iron Lung 05 Karma Police 06 Exit Music 07 Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box 08 Airbag 09 Reckoner 10 No Surprises 11 Dollars & Cents 12 I Might Be Wrong 13 Pyramid Song 14 Paranoid Android 15 Idioteque 16 Everything In Its Right Place -- Encore #1-- 17 Talk Show Host 18 Climbing Up The Walls 19 You And Whose Army 20 How To Disappear -- Encore #2-- 21 Street Spirit 22 The Bends -- Encore #3-- 23 Motion Picture Soundtrack Reckoner (aka Feeling Pulled Apart By Horse) debuted. it's very likely Radiohead soundchecked this song earlier. other songs soundchecked: knives out, the thief, in limbo, optimistic, like spinning plates and an awesome version of the tourist. [thanks shereef, michael & mike] by Brock Stotsenberg by Rusty Willoughby by Jake Wynne by Tice Lewis As i've just returned home to Seattle after seeing Radiohead perform at one of the best venues in the States, i am in shock with only an echo of the concert left stuck up here in my head. i knew this show would be incredible, though i had know idea it would evolve into what it did. This all began as i met some friends who had camped out the night before and were saving places in line. they were very near the front, so when the gates finally opened we bum-rushed out way over the hill and toward the stage. My friend Matt and i ended up front and center, on the rail--absolutely as close as you can get! So that's just to say i was set up for the perfect show to be more intimate than i could have imagined. The Beta Band came on and played a quick set. I dug them. They were great fun, and pretty chill as they played some songs from their new LP. Their breakthrough song, "Dry the Rain" was very groovin', and set us up for much better things. We were so close to the stage that Matt pointed out masking tape across the top of one of Radioheads amps, that had the lyrics printed on it "CATCH DA MOUSE, SQUASH HIS HEAD" from "knives Out" (a song which they unfortunately did not play). We didn't have to wait too long before the band burst on stage with "The National Anthem"--it just straight kicked! There were cameras everywhere, for MTV2 i think, through the first three or four songs. "Lucky" was definately a highlight, this is when the show really rocked into gear, and into the first guitar sounds on "My Iron Lung". Everyone's singing along at this point, and pretty much all through the show. Something weird happened on "Exit Music." Thom just stopped the song halfway through, and there was maybe something going on in the crowd, or maybe he was just having fun with us. He was in great spirits throughout the night, cavorting around on stage, and interacting a lot with the audience. A coupla times he pushed the mike up to the front of the stage to sing along with us. Everything picked up at this point in the show, with "Packt", completely different than the album version, with a rad fuzzy baseline and hyper-active guitars. And Johnny's over there rockin' out on the keyboards and everything else. "Airbag" was beautiful, and i was stoked that they were playing so many songs from OK COMPUTER (though the KID A/AMNESIAC stuff is so other-worldly when they play it live). Ok, the new song...it was awesome. The guys were up there like kids discovering rock n' roll all over again. The song sounded totally fresh, totally guitars, and very promising of the next direction radiohead may go in the studio. After this surprise, they smiled and fell into "No Surprises." It was so neat to see Johnny actually hovering over his xylophone, or whatever it is, to play this song. "Dollars and Cents" was one of the best sounding songs they played. The lighting was just sick for that track. Then, the pulled the ol' piano out for "Pyramid Song" which was haunting, but really began to show the diversity the Radiohead has when playing live. I also really liked this because the piano was shiney and i could see Thom's reflection in it (he played at an angle with his back to us). This was especially eerie. For "Paranoid Android", there was a transition where he put on his acoustic guitar, and it was relatively quiet. I screamed "TRUE LOVE WAITS" in hopes that he may forget the setlist and play the rare song that i really dig on. He heard me! He sort of smiled and shook his head and said something to Ed. Everyone around me was cheering and he was looking right at us witha goofy grin, then spoke into the mike "We already planned that one for another gig." And he almost looked disappointed for us. Almost. Well, that was the intamcy that i was talking of. The rest of the show was wonderful, "Idioteque" was just off-the-hook, and Yorke got us clapping on "Everything in its Right Place." Incredible. The first encore just kept coming--"Climbing up the Walls" was amazing and pretty heavy, "You And Whose Army" was really fun to see--at one point Thom was playing the piano, and conducting us as we sang along. He was certainly having a great night. They disappeared for only a minute or two, after a guitar/bass guitar driven "How to Disappear Completely." They came back again, and played breathtaking versions of two oldies, "Street Spirit," and "The Bends." I figured that was it, what a gret concert, when they came back for the third time in high spirits (actually just Colin, Thom, and Johnny) to finish off the song that ends KID A. It was extroadinary, and all Disney bittersweet the way Thom likes it. I was just blown away. They waved and bowed goodbye, Thom thanked us, and said "Enjoy the rest of your evening." Well, I don't know if I will truly be able to realize how incredible this night was, and how magnificent Radiohead truly is, fow probably a few years. But it's starting to sink in that i just saw the greatest show of my life. ~TICE by Joseph Barringer Just got back from the show, had to drive seven hours from the venue and started this morning, after having camped for two nights. A truly amazing show. One of the most high energy performances that I have ever seen, which suprised me. I was expecting a rather laid back concert, the precedent being set by their show at the Salem Armory a couple years back (complete with signs reading "radiohead kindly requests no moshing or crowd surfing"). We had camped out the friday before the concert, getting there just as they opened to get a good spot. The camping was great, spending two days with several thousand radiohead fans (plus some that showed up early for Ozzfest) was as fun as I imagined it would be. We got in line early in the morning Saturday, and dealt with all the attending grief ("are those people driving up going to start a new line?" "will they get in first?" "they don't look like they run very fast, I think we're safe." etc. etc.) They opened the gates at four thirty, and in the mad confusing dash, after being re-routed several times and being yelled at to slow down many more, we made it to our seats, center, one row back. The Beta Band was great, didn't seem to be completely into it, maybe. Or maybe just not giving their all for an audience that for the most part wasn't very into them. The new songs were great, very promising, and their old songs were good to hear. I really hope they make it back over soon for a full set. And so after a half an hour break, Radiohead came on. Thom was all smiles, as were the rest of the band. Looking quite happy to be there and into the huge audience (20,000 tickets were sold!). They started National Anthem, and the crowd surfing started immediately. Everybody on the floor was trying to fit into the two feet closest to the stage. The next four songs were all accompanied by a frenzy on the other side of the barricade, and you had to pay more attention to staying upright and not getting kicked in the head than you could to the band. Also, what with everyone singing along it was rather hard to hear Thom or much of the instrumentation. With Exit Music there was a slight reprieve, but that faded as the end of the song started rocking and Packt Like Sardines started in. Needless to say I found my way out of what at that point was a pit and found a more suitable place to enjoy the show. It was a very intense show, and once I could direct my attention to what was going on onstage it got incredible. It blew my mind to think that five people with a handful of equipment could make that music. Words can't really describe how awe inspiringly beatiful this bands music is. Seeing the band up there, putting their all into it. Thom especially, looking like he feels the lyrics as he's singing them, encouraging the audience and being encouraged by them in turn. Jonny was thrashing around as well, and they were all doing their best impression of the rock stars they are. It made me realize that this is the greatest band that I've had the opportunity to enjoy. Before the show I heard someone say that this was going to be a life changing experience, that we wouldn't walk away the same people. Even if it didn't live up to that, which for some it might have, it was definetely the best show I've ever seen. And to see a better one is more than I can reasonably wish for. by Airbag 2089 Some unique moments: (For kicks, I'll start about halfway through the concert) Thom started Pyramid Song seconds after I Might Be Wrong, surprising me. It was a delacate performance, one of those "I-hope-nothing-goes-wrong-because-it's-so-perfect" times. He sounded almost scared as he sang it. For me, this is where the concert really acended to greatness :). They then marched through Paranoid Android, Idioteque, and EIIRP perfectly. The latter contained a ton a little melodies and parts not in the Kid A version. They then, of course, came back for the first encore. You and Whose Army was truky enjoyable. A fisheye camera hooked to the base of Thom's mike at the piano and looking up at him was broadcasting on the two big screens, and his face looked really funny like that. During a pause in the soft part of the song he jumped up, turned around to the crowd and tossed his arms in the air, then just as rapidly, he was back singing. Very funny. trying to think of an original introduction for The Bends (presumably the last song) he said, "This is for the people here and there . .mumble/trailing off". The song got us all psyched up for the rest of the night (camping out/partying). People, who had already got up to leave before the 2nd encore, gathered their things. Then they returned for Motion Picture Soundtrack. Thom was standing at the front, playing a tiny keyboard (or so it looked from as far away as I was). The song came accross as more electroonic than the album version. But it was sweet and warm and the perfect ending. by L. Beckner the show last night was perfect. the beta band was tight and flawless, and very fun to watch as well. radiohead started about half an hour after the beta band left. thom looked confused during the national anthem and was obviously having some problems with his ear monitor. the national anthem still kicked ass, though. next up was morning bell. i was very close to the front and was somewhat annoyed by the couple of people that decided morning bell was a good song to crowd surf to. thom sat at the keyborad before the song mumbling something about no sound, then quickly said 'oh. heh. i know.' and reached in his shirt to (what looked like) turn his ear monitor on. morning bell went off flawlessly. then ed did the famous pick scraping that began lucky. great song live.. wonderul lights.. thom came in late so he kind of walked back twords the drums for a few bars with a pissed off look on his face and came back to start the song again. at this point i was kind of worried that thom would be in a bad mood because of sound problems and such.. but it seemed this song fixed any problems they were having with the sound on stage. for karma police i made the long hike up to the top of the hill, to see the show from up there for a few. i stayed up there for exit music, packt and airbag. it was really great, because the columbia gorge is the most beautiful place you will ever see a concert. not to mention the best sound you'll ever hear. thom stopped exit music during the "breathe keep breathing part." and walked back to talk to phil. the lights went down, and abruptly he came back to the mic and resumed the song. enough of the hill! on my way back down the hill i ran into the keyboardist and drummer for the beta band and talked to them for a few minutes. very cool guys. very english. reckoner had everyone looking around funny, because it was a really good song that no one had heard before. glad we were the first. if anyone saw me, i was the big tall guy with the blue 'security' shirt on. none of the gorge security were wearing a shirt that looked like mine, but people were still coming up to me and asking me where things were and such. no surprises was next. this one was a crowd favorite. i was really getting into the gigantic LCD screens on the side of the stage during this song. they had a camera on each side of the stage, phil's kit, and on each keyboard and piano that johnny and thom played. dollars and cents was definatly one of my favorites, especially with the extended outro. the song ended with thom chantin "seattle... seattle... G8. G8. G8." I might be wrong was also wonderful. At this point the sound started getting even better. I was really amazed at the clairty of radiohead's equipment live. there are a lot of things going on in these songs, but each insturment is heard perfectly and at a reasonable level. Pyramid song was a nice break, as well. Thom's piano sounded really good. Thom dedicated pyramid song to "the people on the hill". he also did the little joke with ed where they both puff into their mics and then giggle and say 'smokin' weed.' idioteque and everthing in it's right place were next, and probably the best sounding songs of the evening. once again i must say that i have never heard that sound quality come out of any insturment. thom really went crazy during the break down in the middle of the song. everything in it's right place sounded perfect, as well. if anyone has mp3s of the show, email me. blloyd3@uswest.net anyways. the encores. at this point i moved a little further back. i was standing by a group of about three or four girls who were saying things like "oh god yes" and "OHMYGOSH" whenever a new song started. they sang every word to talk show host. each of them was about a quarter of a step off from the others. these girls made the idiots on say what karaoke look like professionals. they shut their mouths for climbing up the walls though, which was amazing. you and whose army was really funny because any time thom wasn't singing he was turned around orchestrating the crowd's applause. he would quickly raise his arms and then give the cut sign just as he would go back into the verse. people really went nuts. after their second 'thank you goodnight' they came back and did how to disappear completely. i may be wrong here, but i really think they did four encores. i think they came out and just did how to disappear, left, came back and did street spirit and the bends, left, and came back for motion picture. i'm 100% sure, actually. anyways. great show. the only bad part about it is that it's over, and we won't see radiohead in the states for a very long time. by David O'Donnell Last night turned out to be a very interesting night for me. It was my first time seeing my favorite band in the world, and the show was absolutely amazing!! The band started off with an explosive National Anthem and really got the crowd going. Then, the stage hands pulled Thom's rhoads organ/piano out and Thom procceded to shake back and forth with a big smile on his face. Then he sat down and announced that it was "Morning Bell" It was absolutely breathtaking. The lights at this show were simply incredible, and always added a lot artistically to the music. Next was lucky, which they screwed up in the beginning. Thom I guess wasn't paying enough attention to how man measures phil had played on the intro, and he started the first chord off, so he just let phil keep going, and finally joined in. The final result was absolutely amazing!! Great version of the song. After Karma Police and My Iron Lung, Thom started exit music, and right after the first "breath, keep breathing" Thom just stopped playing, giving a cold stare to the front of the auidence where some morons were crowd surfing. That had to be the one part about the show that pissed me off. All the retards who think it's cool to crowd surf to Radiohead. Especially "Exit Music." Thom finally turns around, takes a swig of water, and then turns back around to the mic and starts back where he left off. It was amazing though. Pakt like sardines was full of beautiful fuzz and was awesome live. Then after that, Thom simply said, "Airbag" and after fiddling with some things for a moment, they started into Airbag, which I was very very excited to hear. It was an absolutely great performance. Now the next song, that threw me like nothing else!! I knew it wasn't a cover, but man, it sure didn't sound like Radiohead's most recent material. I downloaded the mp3, which sounds terrible compared to how it sounded live. It sounded amazing live. Very funky. Nice funky bass line. They were really getting into it too. Thom didn't even say a word about the new song, they just moved right along to the next one. Some other highlights of the night were.........Well crap, everything was amazing. The show just seemed to pick up, and gain momentum. Thom was in a good mood, and during "You and Whose Army" smiled a lot and was making the audience cheer real loud, then suddenly stop, with the swooping of his arm. He started laughing after doing that a few times. He, as well as the rest of the bad, were really enjoying themselves. Thom even said at the end of the first encore that "we love you all, indeed." You could see that they were honestly appreciative of their fans, - the morons who were crowd surfing!! The bends totally rocked. Climbing up the Walls was astoundingly beautiful. As an avid Radiohead bootleg collector, let me tell you, there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING like being there in the flesh to enjoy such an amazing event. The only thing that spoiled the evening was the camping afterwards. It was completely anarchy!! A bunch of stupid drunk frat boys screaming at each other and lighting off fireworks. The majority of them weren't even there to see Radiohead, they were just there to get wasted. It was sad, and I am just trying to block it from my memory so as not to ruin the best concert I have ever witnessed in my life. Radiohead is truly a band that has more integrity as a band then I have really ever seen. They are truly one of the most underrated and misunderstood bands around. If you have a chance to see Radiohead live, no matter how far you have to drive, and no matter how many drunken frat boys there are, do it anyway, because those 2 hours of absolute beautiful, honest music, are worth any sort of circumstance. David O'Donnell by Amethyst Biggs I had to experience my first Radiohead concert from the balcony of Seattle's Paramount Theatre on their 1998 tour. And though it was awesome, it wasn't quite what I wanted it to be. My redemption came at The Gorge, as I was only about 5 or 6 rows back from the stage. I tried to fight my way to the front, but there was so much pushing and shoving that I seriously feared being trampled or squished to death, so I headed back to my original spot, nearly getting my glasses knocked off my face by a wayward crowd surfer in the process. Anyway, it was a beautiful concert, and my only regret is that it seemed to go by so fast that I can't really remember it all. It was like a dream. Opening bands are usually torturous, like an hour-long barrier keeping you from the band you're actually there to see, but the Beta Band were really quite good, and I didn't mind postponing my Radiohead experience for them. Radiohead came on pretty quickly afterwards, and as soon as the bass line to 'National Anthem' started, the crowd was pretty crazy. It's such the perfect song to start a concert with. After the song Thom was shaking his fist in the air and saying 'Rock!'in this mock macho voice. 'Lucky' was certainly a highlight, and everyone was singing along. In fact, the crowd sang along to pretty much the whole show. After the first verse of 'Exit Music', Thom stopped singing and just sort of looked at us. We started to sing the 'breathe' part, but then got quiet after we noticed Thom wasn't following suit. Everyone was kind of confused, then Thom walked over towards Phil, came back to the mike and smiled then continued the song. I guess he was just fucking with us. I was hoping they'd play 'Airbag' and I suppose the rest of the crowd was too. They went nuts for that song. Thom was doing his head-bobbing thing which I love, and his voice was really strong. The new song was totally rocking, very guitar heavy and energetic. It sounded kinda Led Zeppelin-esque to me, and the band seemed to have a lot of fun playing it. I hope they do more songs like that on future albums. Thom dedicated 'Paranoid Android' to the people sitting on the lawn, and the crowd toally exploded during that song. Johnny's guitar solo for that song is one of the coolest solos on the planet, and it sounds even better live. And the lighting was awesome too. A couple of comedians in the crowd emptied their water bottles on us during the 'rain down' part, which actually felt quite nice since it was so damn hot. 'Idioteque' was one of my favorites. Gotta love that drumb beat. Thom did his little crazy, flailing around dance at the end. He really seemed to have a good time that night, playing with the crowd and smiling a lot and making jokes. The first encore was the best, in my opinion, with 'Talkshow Host' and 'Climbing up the Walls.' I could actually feel the bass vibrating through my body. 'How to Disappear' was simply gorgeous. I almost cried. Ditto for 'Street Spirit' during the second encore. After that I figured it was over, since they usually only do two encores, but then Thom ran back out with Colin and Johnny and said 'Ok, we'll play one more' and did a lovely 'Motion Picture Soundtrack.' Finally they waved goodbye, Thom thanked us for coming, told us to enjoy the rest of our evening (as if any part of our evening could be better,) bowed and departed. I thought the '98 tour was awesome, but this one proved Radiohead only get better and better. They were definitely worth the acheing back, sore feet and 50 bucks (not including gas for my 3-hour drive home) it cost me. by Matt Summers Since no one likes long-winded reviews, I'll keep this short. The absolute highlight of the evening was Exit Music, when Thom stopped singing and turned around to say something to Phil, and all the music stopped. I was afraid there was too much pushing up front, and the crowd started to get a little nervous. But he turned right back around and told us to "Breathe, keep breathing" and it was like nothing happened. Packt was amazing, much emphasis on the 'fuzzy' bass. Reckoner was straight pop-rock, much like My Iron Lung when it gets going. I wasn't particularly struck by it, in fact I thought it was a cover, it didn't sound good enough to be Radiohead. Dollars and Cents was stretched out and wonderful, much better than the studio version. They went off on Everything in its Right Place, and that was the most pleasant surprise. Amazing version, Johnny used the Chaos Pad on Thom's voice and organ, and anyone could tell that was a live favorite of theirs. How to Disappear was holy. I felt like I could fly during that song. You could tell the band was having fun, more than they usually do. How could you not be in awe of the Gorge Amphitheater? You have to see it to understand. Thom, Colin, and Johnny came out for a surprising third encore, Motion Picture Soundtrack, a real treat. This was the greatest concert I have ever been to, and though I was totally sober, I felt supernatural from the moment they came out on stage. My life is all downhill from here. Thanks. by Scott Canty They took the stage just as the sun was setting over the Columbia River Gorge, and proceeded to paint a musical masterpiece over that beautiful backdrop. The songs from Kid A and Amnesiac take on an entirely different tone when played live, it really brings it all home. Surreal and magnificent. The thing that surprised me the most was how well the songs blended together. Radiohead have evolved greatly from album to album, but hearing the songs performed live, and in random order (as evidenced by the changing playlists from show to show) you really get a feel that despite how different the albums may sound, they really are evolutionary, not revolutionary. The band was crisp and tight, and the sound quality was incredible. Must be the natural acoustics. The visuals added so much to the music, from the lighting to the large screens on either side of the stage. None of the imagery from the album artwork mind you, primarily black and white video from multiple mini-cam's placed about the stage. In my opinion, the spirit award goes to Phil, who was utterly unflappable and solid, laying down the drum tracks with an unassuming ease. He makes it look so effortless, which is a compliment to his absolute talent. I was concerned early on because Thom's equipment difficulties were quite evident, but far from becoming agitated, he became more animated and jovial, even downright playful. Stopping mid verse in 'Exit Music (for a film)' made me nervous, but then all he did was walk back to the drum kit to get a sip of water. Other fun moments: Controlling the applause in his best David Letterman style during 'You and Whose Army?' and yelling out "ROCK!" before the first heavy guitar licks of 'The Bends.' What else can I say? They look like they really are enjoying themselves, and having fun with it now, far from the gloominess documented in "Meeting People Is Easy." I can only hope that they are happy doing what they are doing, and that there is more to come.