Review by Max:
As a longtime Radiohead fan who until now had never had a chance to see them live before, seeing them perform at the Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence was simply a surreal experience. The piazza, of course, has no seats. For four weeks, Italian men have been rude to the gals on our study abroad program, and last night was my chance to return the favor. Along with two of my friends, I shoved, weaved, and elbowed my way to within five feet of the stage, dead center, just as Thom and the boys sauntered onstage to open with the pair of There There and 2+2=5 from the new album (which, for the record, is their most pleasing offering to me since OK Comp). The set itself was amazing, amplified by my position in the crushing crowd around me. At least a dozen people in front of me were dragged out of the crowd half- or fully-unconscious as the music caused the entire mass to breath as one like a giant iron lung. Paranoid Android almost killed me. Elbows jabbed into my back and bodies crushed me like a rag-doll. I didn't care. I gladly met the fury of the crowd in exchange for the chance to gain a few precious inches on the stage. I didn't realize how bad I looked until after the show when my buddies looked at me and grimaced as if to say "Mate, you need a shower and some liquor." When the band walked off at the end of the set, I took a couple real breaths for the first time in almost two hours. Then came the encore. After firing off The Gloaming and No Surprised, Thom looked right down at us in front of him and said "Now we're gonna play...this song," just as he fired off a thumb-and-index-finger pistol at us. The next five minutes was like finding the Holy Grail for me. Up until last night it hadn't been played since Spain 2002. It was my favorite track. It was The Bends...in all its fiery glory. It seemed like it was just for me, but my friends were as excited as I was after the show. Following The Bends, as a way of calming us all down, the rest of the band exited as Thom played a haunting solo rendition of I Will. By the time the second encore began, I was nearly spent. I was soaked with the sweat of hundreds of Radiohead fanatics and could hardly stand by the time Street Spirit faded out into oblivion. Hands down, this was the best show I've ever attended. Tickets for LA in September are on sale next Saturday. I know I'll see some of you nuts there! Cheers!

Max

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