Review by Diane:
i will never be closer to radiohead again- i STILL can't believe it!!!

we got to the show around late (around 9) after the opening band was finished, and discovered that our front section was actually a fenced-in mosh area instead of seats. i was totally pissed cause that meant I wouldn't see anything, but as we entered the area there was space where the ticket lady was, on the right-hand side RIGHT IN FRONT UP AGAINST THE RAIL. i figured it was worth a try to just hang there, and within 2 minutes the lights went out and the guys were on!!!!!!

we were SO FUCKING CLOSE TO THEM!!!!!!!!!! it was UNREAL!!! I could read Thom's bracelets!!! (I think they said Rock and Roll or something)

the show was great- and who knew- that stupid Gloaming song is cool live- they sample and loop it like on everything in its right place. what else can I tell you... oh yeah- they played Creep!!! the music started and people were surprised and Thom just sort of shrugged and sang all the words as snotty as he could.

sail to the moon was beautiful- it felt like a love song between Thom + Johnny- the song is so tender... and Scatterbrain was cool- Jonny has some cool new effects and he had a neat one to robot-ize Thom's voice when he sings the word 'scatterbrain' that made it sound... well.... scattered :)

also there was a neat moment when they sang No Surprises- I'm not sure if it has happened at other shows, but it seemed spontaneous: there was some applause after "bring down the government" and then a bunch more with "they don't speak for us"- Thom looked up and seemed kinda proud of us and let me emphasize how CLOSE we were- we were so close that the guys just looked like PEOPLE- it was great- god- every now and then I'd just shake my head in disbelief :)

Colin was so excited to be there- he cracks me up... phil was in an ultra-dapper but must-have-been-roasting pin-striped suit. Ed seemed to have less to do than before :\

what else did they play... hmmm.... I can't remember the order, but in addition to Gloaming, Creep, Sail to the Moon, and No Surprises, I know I also heard Kid A, Climbing up the walls, Idioteque, Lucky, stand up sit down, morning bell, everything in its right place, paranoid android, whereiendandyoubegin, punch up at a wedding, 2 + 2=5, backdrifts, there there, national anthem, my iron lung (ROCKED), and like spinning plates - there were 3 encores :)

Review by Rob Moran:
What can I say? Radiohead have outdone themselves again.

My second time seeing them live, last time was Suffolk Downs (not the ideal place to see a show) but this show was ridiculous. Every song had tweaks and new loops and backbeats and constant energy.

To see Thom jumpin around and dancing like a madman is great to watch. You have to love his energy.

The set list was a nice combination of all their recent albums with changes of pace and elaboration on some songs that made them infinitely better. The slow buildup of some songs to a repetitive beat and whatever sounds they threw in moved to pretty much a climactic point.... really indescribable.

They f'n rock.

Review by n8wood:
This was my third time seeing Radiohead live. Just before Radiohead made it on stage a spectacular thunderstorm cell passed south of Mansfield; flashes and bolts of lightening filled the sky. Luckily we did not feel a single drop of rain all night. A few songs into the set, the sky cleared up and revealed what looked to be a full moon; we had great weather.

They took the stage and opened up with "2+2=5"; what a great opening song. I could not believe how tight they sounded! The vocal harmonies were dead on. They played 70% of the new album but skipped one of my favorites, "Myxomatosis" (I bet it it's a nice live song). HTTT is not one of my favorite albums, I was somewhat disappointed by it, but almost all the songs sound better live. "Backdrifting" and "Gloaming" feel much better live; I think its because the vocal patterns really stand out.

On a sour note, I thought some of the older songs were performed sloppily. The one song I was jonsing to hear, "Airbag", was done poorly to my surprise; my favorite part of the song, the guitar break in the middle, was completely ignored... it just wasn't played. I think Johnny's guitar work was a bit disruptive to some of the songs... the sounds were somewhat interesting but they did not fit and ruined the feeling sometimes. "Paranoid Android" and "National Anthem" were less than stellar. I'm guessing they haven't got as much practice playing the older stuff lately, because I know these songs sounded much better at the past two shows I've attended.

They actually played "Creep", I'm not particularly fond of the song, but it sounded good. The best of the night in my opinion was "No Surprises"; it was the best I'd ever heard it. The crowd responded to the lyrics "bring the government..." with an uproar; it was surprising because up until that point the crowd was pretty mellow. "Everything in its Right Place", "Idioteq", and "Like Spinning Plates" were great live as usual. Thom's voice was powerful and dead on tonight with the exception of a few cracks, I've never heard him sound so good. The band seemed to be in good spirits in contrast to the last shows I saw (OKC and Amnesiac).

Some disappointments, but overall a good show.

Review by Meg Dzyak:
Talk about one amazing concert going experience........ I got there around oh 2:30-3:00 and got into the vip line.. i just had passes for early entry. So i sat there for a while and then around 6 they let me in, for what reason i have no idea..... I went walking in just leasurely and sat down in a random seat waiting for the pit to become open, and i was the first fan in, there were just security guys standing around. I really had a lot of time too look at all the gear from a distance and talk to the security guards.... Then the pit opened and thats where the fun began I was one of the first in up in front of Steves microphone and later on in front of Thoms front row and completely center....... Met some people that I met at my last Radiohead show at Suffolks Downs 2 years ago. Steve and the Jix then came on they were quite entertaining, i had never heard any of their stuff before and it was impressive.. And then after a short delay the boys came out all smiles ear to ear.. The crowd went WILD, and i don't know the band looked a little suprised but maybe they were just acting... They looked soooo fresh and ready to play and boy they did that. They really took on the assertive rock star theme when playing. Thom was all smiles and seem to be rocking everthing and flirting with the crowd quite a bit. They all seemed happy and just really ready to play this concert, need i say more they were.... 2+2=5 was really explosive the crowd in the pit and everwhere else went WILD and you saw it on the bands faces after they heard the barage of screams after it was insane you could feel the absolute energy everywhere. Seeing Paranoid Android so early in the set was suprising... Very suprising really boosted up the energy. Thom was really acting out during Kid A really taking his lead roll and having fun with it banging on those keys. It was so great to see him up there so into what he was doing, he and the rest of the band have really changed since 2 years ago the last time I saw them. Morning Bell was pretty good i was suprised to see how good it was. And then My Iron Lung came along........ This song was so awesome to see live It held special meaning and it just rocked... nothing more to say about that... Where I end and You Begin has to be one of my favs off of Hail and it was even better than i thought i would be, Thoms vox on this one was just haunting, along with Climbing Up the Walls which was totally incredible, it had so much energy and pure insanity thrown into it, it was eye and ear candy at the same time... And then came creep.... Which was a TOTAL suprise, but non the less it was so awesome.... insted of "I want a perfect soul" thom put in "i want you to look good next to me" while doing all the comical gestures and being the crazy kid he always is... He just had soooo much energy last night I don't know what to say, he was always spinning around or dancing or going nutz... he OBVIOUSLY ate his Wheaties..... Everyone was wondering if that was on the setlist, and it was... Early on i grabbed a setlist before radiohead began from a photographer.. but i dared not look at it or let anyone else look either... This concert was ment to be a total suprise..... So after we looked at it and sure enough Creep was there. To end with other highlights Scatterbrain was beautiful as always.... Thoms voice was excelent and soaring as usual. There There is always a crowd pleaser and keeps that radiohead groove going, but it was interesting that they ended with it cause it made you know that the encore was comming and they wern't finished yet. Lucky was impressive, and the lights during that one were awesome, bright orange blinding light and i felt like i was in the bath of the Radiohead sunshine it was heart warming... That one made me know that this really was a spiritual experience, I felt outa my body on that one... Then they ended with Idioteque.. what a great ending though, you take every ounce of energy you have left and just go insane during that song.. And if you don't go insane and dance like crazy your probably dead.. After that the place was just ROCKING and it left everyone drenched in sweat but happy and full of energy. The new set list was phenominal everysong (minus a couple) that they played would be a song i would have picked for them to play last night. It was just insane. The guys left the stage thanking the crowd and with big grins on their faces... Yes that was a really really good show......

Review by KiNgKaHuKa62:
this was the best concert I had ever been to. hands down! my seats were good, not like front row or anything. but section 6, not bad. I was so excited I did not want to eat anything I thought I would throw up. I am sorry to say I did not pay much attention to the Jicks. but when the Jicks were off....and the lights went down....there was screaming and cheering like I had never heard before in my life for a band!! ahh and they came out and played "2+2=5" and it was SO UNREAL it was AMAZING and I was crying. they brought that song to life! "Sit Down, Stand Up", "the Gloaming", "Sail to the Moon" were great songs they played off of Hail to the Thief. They also played a handful of songs off of OK Computer, such as Climbing Up the Walls, Paranoid Android, nothing at all from the Bends besides My Iron Lung, all of which were awesome.

but the surprise of the night seemed to be a gift that waws heaven sent. The boys played "Creep". I did not expect they would play that!! People all around were so excited!! I distributed hugs! Oh man what a surprise!! It was amazing!!!! I was glad that they played one song off of Pablo Honey, and that one song being "Creep"!!!! after that steller performance they played "Like Spinning Plates", and then "Go to Sleep". then, the next song was dedicated to lovers.."Scatterbrain. those were excellent songs!!

Then, Thom started singing bits off the United States national anthem....which was a nice seque into "The National Anthem", which was another AWESOME song. and then "There There" with 3 sets of drums. Abosoltuly incredible. and then they left. and then "AIRBAG"!!!! which was thrilling!!

and then they came back!! and dedicated "Lucky" to REM. it was amazing. and they also did "A Punchup at a Wedding", which I love. then "Everything in it's Right Place" awesome awesome. and then they left again.

and then they returned!!!! and did "NO SURPRISES" which blew me away. and then their closer...."Idioteque". it brought the walls down. everyone was CRAZY.

and then they left. for real this time. but everyone was so happy. it was sad they didnt play "Karma Police" or "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" but we did get "Creep"

some notes....throughout the night Thom was dancing like crazy onstage . it was awesome. he makes frontmen like Sir Mick Jagger seem so ridiculous. and Colin was great , he looked like he was having a blast. and Ed and Phil and Jonny were at the top of their games. and there was a big screen behind them towards the end that said "THANK YOU FOREVER".....no, thank YOU forever , Radiohead. come back anytime. please. we need you.

Review by Michael McAuley:
Absolutely fabulous opening night of the tour last night. It's hard to put into words such a powerful show. Incredible! They opened with 2+2=5, followed by 'sit down, stand up'. They closed with 'there, there', and then proceeded to do two encores. Yes, they did play 'Creep', and it seemed to stun the crowd at first. I guess nobody could believe they were actually playing Creep. Idioteque was an absolutely incredible final song of the evening.

Review by tefernini:
even though my seat was far back it was a pretty good set up, so i could still see radiohead and actually tell who was whom. radiohead, of course, rocked. it was great. but unfortunately, the crowd wasn't as enthusiastic as i would have hoped..

of course everyone was pumped for "creep" since they don't play it as much and it's the sort of song a lot of people like. they sang along and cheered and whatnot, but they should have been like that for every song, i think. but oh well. during the radiohead movie "meeting people is easy" they have a clip of radiohead playing "creep" and after thom says, "i wish i was special" someone in the crowd yells, "you are special, thom!" so we stole that idea. ;) also during "creep," instead of thom saying "i want a perfect body, i want a perfect soul," he sang "i want a perfect body, so i can stand next to you." the crowd loved that..

"my iron lung" is a great song live. funfun. you can hangbang to it and everything, and it was the only song they played off of "the bends." "like spinning plates" was great, the piano is just amazing. when "scatterbrain" came on thom goes, "here's a song for all you lovers out there. scatterbrain." fabulous song. next is "the national anthem." i hadn't noticed until later, but thom started humming the american national anthem, sort of as a hint, before starting to play, which was pretty cool. awesome song, and even better live.

i was very impressed when my personal favourite was played, "lucky." bliss...i think i could have died happily right then. "a punch up at a wedding" just has that funky sort of beat that's just fun to rock to. thom introduced "everything in its right place" as "another love song." the distortion went on longer than anything else, so after colin, ed, thom, and phil had gone off-stage, jonny was still on, making some awesome noises, so we yelled "go jonny!" during "no suprises," the crowd yelled loudest for "bring down the government" and again for the next line, "they don't, they don't speak for us." which was just great... and last, but definately not least, idioteque. what great last song, with much, much applause at the very end and thom telling all thanks, good night, and have a save journey home.


Review by scanman:
First of all, I must admit that this was my first Radiohead show. And unlike the last person who reviewed this show, I was quite far from the stage despite attempts to gain access to the lower seats! I have liked Radiohead for a long time but never had the opportunity to see them live.
I didn't care too much for the opening band, but I was excited for Radiohead so it didn't really matter.
As they turned the lights off, lighting was crashing in the distance which made it even cooler for when the opening riffs of "2+2=5" were played. The crowd was going nuts waiting for the fast part of the song "You have not been paying attention-." When Thom screamed "Because-" everyone around me went crazy and we began to jump around and scream the words to the song. Afterwards, they brought out the piano and went into "Sit down. Stand up." It was really cool and once "the raindrops" part came, Thom stood up from the piano and gave one of his infamous dances all around the stage.
Then, out of nowhere, they launched into "Paranoid Android" so early into the show. It was awesome. Everyone knew the words that were "true" Radiohead fans, but a lot of people around didn't know them because they only listen to the new stuff. Anyway, it was a night of suprises. Then came "Kid A" which was a suprise for so early in the game. "Backdrifts" and then "Morning Bell" quickly followed.
"My Iron Lung" was awesome, and when it came to the hard parts, everyone went crazy just like during "2+2=5." I think if they had followed it with "Electioneering" I think there would have been a mosh pit!
Then, the bass came in on "Where I end and you begin" and it was exhilarating. Then, keeping the theme of HTTT songs, they bounced into "The Gloaming" and Thom did his crazy dancing routines and it was funny. "Sail to the moon", Thom's song for his son Noah, was played beautifully and really moving. The whole crowd was silent and just listened to Thom wish the best for his son and Thom, like many people say, is the only singer right now who can sing a ballad about his son possibly saving the world or being president without it being cheesy.
To end the string of HTTT songs, they began "Climbing up the walls", a great OK Computer track, that made everyone quite happy.
THEN CAME THE MOMENT: Thom and Johnny were stirring about and my friends and I were trying to think of what song was going to be played next. Of course we all knew that "Creep" wasn't on the top of our predictions list. They played it at the last show in Japan, but never did we think they would play the song. And then, THEY DID! CREEP! It was amazing, and Thom seemed to be amused by not even mentioning it before or after like it was a show 7 years ago and it was a standard in their set.
After that, we were all pretty much done in by the amazing setlist so far. Thom's piano was brought out and he began the brilliant live rendition of "Like spinning plates" for all of us to cool off after "Creep" for. Then they played "Go to sleep" and a rare "Scatterbrain."
Another pause. Thom began to run around the stage and began to hum a little bit of our national anthem. It was then that we knew "The National Anthem" was next. Playing it a bit faster than usual, it was awesome. What I have forgotten to mention is how cool the lighting was. They were using various colors at a time, and the large wall full of lights in the back of the stage was always illuminated in the coolest ways. After the song, Thom uttered "cool" into the microphone while the roadies brought out Johnny and Ed's drums for "There There."
It was funny to watch them play this song because Ed is so serious and dry when playing the drums, and Johnny as always, was going crazy. It was really cool to see them do that last because lately they have been playing that first.
And that was the end of the actual show.
The Encores: They come out and begin "Lucky" and everyone goes wild. It was really a treat to see this show because they played so much stuff that they normally play. Next came "A punch-up at a wedding" which was entertaining. Then, going back to their OK Computer traits, they played "Airbag" and everyone went wild once more. After it was finished, they brought the piano and we knew it would either be "Pyramid Song" or "Everything in its right place."
As he had said before "Scatterbrain", he proclaimed the next song "a song for lovers" and launched into the opening chords of "Everything in its right place." It was amazing, and happens to be one of my favorites. Johnny's sampling of Thom's voice was incredible live. It was amazing. I was so impressed by this song. Thom finished singing on the piano, got up, and bowed for the crowd before walking off. Close behind him were Colin and Phil, leaving Ed and Johnny sitting sampling on the ground. This continued for a bit while "Forever" flashed in big letters on the screen behind them. Eventually, they stood and walked off leaving the echoes of the sample still going. That ended the first encore.
Now for the second: Most of us expected "Pyramid Song" or "Talk Show Host", but they played neither. They launched into "No Suprises" and drove us wild once more. It was crazy. Once they finished, Johnny put down his guitar and we knew it was time for some electronica. "Idioteque" was amazing. Thom jumped all around, danced, went crazy. Everyone looked and danced like they were in another world, as the hypnotic rhythm came upon us. When Thom danced over to the mic, grabbed it, and began to dance around singing "The first of the children" everyone went crazy. And then, it ended.
All in all, it was an excellent first show to be able to come see. I got to see so many good songs, new and old, and see a great performance by great performers. I only hope I can get some tickets to the MSG shows in NYC in October!

Review by a:
My timing couldn't have been better, as Radiohead began playing 2+2+5 right as I was walking to my seat (sorry Stephen Malkmus). This was the first time I had traveled alone to see a show. The only tickets left two or three days after they went on sale were individual seats, and I knew no one else going. I said screw it, it's Radiohead, I'm going even if it's by myself. You can't pass up an opportunity to witness greatness. Think about the people who passed on the chance to see Pink Floyd or the Doors or Led Zepplin or whomever rock god you want to name, in their prime, only to never see them. Love them or hate them, you can't take bands like Radiohead for granted, because there aren't many of them.
The first thing you noticed was how much positive energy the band had. Last time I saw Radiohead at Suffolk Downs 2 years ago they were all very reserved, with the exception of Thom jumping around during Idioteque and Jonny during his virtuoso guitar solos. This time they all seemed much more confident and relaxed and just more energetic. Thom was particularly animated. He danced crazily and played to the crowd during most, if not all, of the songs that didnt involve him playing an instrument, particularly during Everything in Its Right Place and Idioteque. The crowd loved it. They also seemed sincerely grateful to the crowd, thanking us numerous times, applauding us, and Thom even took a bow after the first encore.
Creep got the loudest cheers, but the high points for me were amazing versions of My Iron Lung, Paranoid Android, Kid A, Where I End and You Begin, Go to Sleep, the Gloaming, Everything..., Airbag, and Lucky, which Thom said was "for R.E.M."
The crowd was pretty lubricated (Tweeter Center is infamous for the tailgating), but it didn't deter from the show at all other then the occasional drunkard bumping into you. The show would have been amazing on some sort of psychedelics, what with the crazy lights and trippy video screens, which were spliced with random static looking graphics and played in what looked like semi-slow motion. But I dunno about being drunk. The coolest effect was when the word Forever was looped over and over again on the light board behind the band, which looked like the same one they used on the Amnesiac tour. It happened so seamlessly that you didn't even notice when it started. All of the sudden letters started scrolling by.
As for the music, this was as good as I've heard Radiohead live. The acoustics at Tweeter are amazing if you're in the amphitheater. It still sounds good on the lawn, but you don't get that rush of seeing the band up close. The only noticeable mistakes were when Thom briefly messed up the words during No Surprises and it seemed like one of the guitars chimed in a little late during There There, but for all I know it could have been intentional.
This might be nitpicking, but I expected them to play a little longer. When I pay $60+ dollars (including fees) for a ticket, I expect three hours of music. I got two. Tweeter Center does have an 11 PM curfew (something about a nearby trailer park I've heard is the reason), but when Pearl Jam played three sold out shows there a month ago, they played until they got unplugged at about 11:15. Radiohead stopped at about 10:45 after the second encore. The crowd stayed, hoping for a third, but knew it wasn't gonna happen once the lights came on (accompanied by some nice reggae) and the stage crew started breaking stuff down.
Obviously, the band would have to be willing and able to play for three hours every night, but it's getting to the point where Radiohead has so many songs that people want to hear, it's only a matter of time before their shows become longer. I mean, no Karma Police? Electioneering? Pyramid Song? And it wouldn't hurt to break out a B-side every now and then. Cuttooth is just begging to be played live. But that's just my opinion. I can't really fault the band for playing a lot of the new songs. I'm sure they get very tired of the same songs over and over again. And it's Radiohead, so you know it's a great show whenever they come to town, no matter what the setlist. This was no different.

Review by Mike G. :
wow: what a wonderful night ~ the sky was ominous- thunderclouds rolling in; the éclat of pre-dusk heat lightening; a steamy orange-blue sunset; the chaos of nature & something dark in the distance on the verge of erupting...

2+2 is such a great live jam! I mean they seriously got their punk rock on- it was an absolute TREAT to hear them just explode into "You have not been / payin attention " and then fracture into "i try to sing along...". Thom's voice is at its peak. Next comes sit down: the first [intentional?] allusion to rain ("and the rain drops") but rain it did not. {i'm not sure if it was where i was seated, but the techno outtro sounded kind of freaky and feedback-ish. This wasn't the only time that sort of thing happened during the show.}. then android, with the second allusion to rain-- Thom instigates mother nature ("come on rain down over me")-- but again, we stay dry, and they are so tight on this song that they just shred the end of it to pieces. i wish i could have heard the crowd scream a little louder during "you don't remember, you don't remember, wny don't you remember my name????!!!!!!!!!...". i'm fairly certain that it was at this point that I threw my neck out. Thom then performs this sort of pied piper shaman rain dance thing in his own gnomishly elven way, hunched over & hopping around on one foot in little circles during Kid A ("rats and children follow me out of their homes..."); backdrifts is plagued by that same sort of out-of-time-feedback-ish sample: it appeared as though something wasn't working right- the sample, the bass, the guitar...god what the hell *is* that noise? (again, it may have been the acoustics in my location). Morning bell: nice recovery; phil's drumming is so precise ... it slowly builds into a gorgeous cacophany of sling-sliding guitar echoes and resolves beautifully on the keys. now we're ready for some serious rock, and iron lung does not dissapoint; they fuzz-crunch the SHIT out of the guitar here, just as they will later with creep, accented by super-bright light flashes. they press on with where i end, a haunting lingering melody and a great danceable bassline undercurrent ("I will eat you alive, I will eat you alive..."). gloaming kind of lingers in that same vein, and then they wheel out the piano again and do a very pretty sail to the moon."Maybe you'll be president / and know right from wrong" resonates not just with me. this song seems like it could be pyramid song's sister. remaining contemplative but getting much louder, the band starts in on a very spooky climbing up the walls; then there is an audible gasp as they strike the first two chords of creep - tingles all over: it is, after all, a really great song; Thom doesn 't seem so into it, though, and i agree with the first review: a shrug and then a somewhat slow, self-mocking vocal. what can you do? they're damned if they do and they're damned if they don't, so fuck it; it might have been nicer if I'd felt he still believed what he was saying, though. go to sleep was slouchy and jammy ("we don't want the loonies taking over"); there there is STELLAR live; the two drum sets, this restrained, intense building and layering and a bit more of that cool-ass punkish splintering until the bass recaptures the song after the bridge ("there theeeeeeere") and from there it launches into a staggering sonic orbit- Phil again impresses me with a really sweet pair of snared triplets and wraps it up nicely--a very gratifying end to the first set. Lucky was dedicated to REM as usual, airbag was a great searing disjointed treat (again, imho, they are so tight with these OK Computer songs); EIIRP next, and the crowd is clapping along in time; "forever" flashes behind them toward the end of this first encore, which gives me this strange feeling, as though someone's trying to market eternity to me. there were the expected shades of anti-government sentiment which culminated during no surprises: thom's singing ("bring down the government/they don't speak for us") was received enthusiastically with truly spontaneous mid-song applause & that felt good to hear. (incidentally, thom also did a cute bit of "o say can you see" before their own national anthem). No surprises & idioteque finished up the night, the latter sending me (and Thom) into tantric convulsions ... you cannot truly appreciate this song until you hear it live- there is a really fucked up syncopation live that doesn't happen on the album at all, lending the song an energy and fire worthy of closing out the best concert that pathetic venue will see this year....

the crowd seemed a bit reserved; not sure if it was just my section, but at times i felt as if i were the only one having fun dancing...but overall it was a very melodic night: kid a, where i end,sail to the moon, sit down, spinning plates, scatterbrain, EIIRP- alot of ballady piano and that was nice to hear. You definitely get the feeling upon leaving that you could see them five more times this tour and still each show would be as varied and broad as the tremendous amount of material they draw from and still play regularly.

I'm not exactly sure why, but the whole t-shirt selling thing really turns me off........its bad enough we're packed into un-user-friendly parking lots that take an hour to exit, forced to dance in small seating confinements next to sixteen year olds that don't know the words, force fed expensive carnival grease food, and last but not least sold seven (that's 7) dollar glasses of cheap white wine.... kind of (ironically) gives you the feeling you're being taken advantage of somehow by ClearChannel or whichever money-grubbing corporate machine that puts this sort of thing on...get your shit together tweeter!

Review by Flav:
This is the second time I've seen Radiohead - first was at Suffolk Downs in '01. This was a much better venue - and I had Pit tickets - so close I could've slapped Thom a high five. Radiohead was AMAZING - you could tell they had a long break from Japan. We were blessed with every song - so craftily done as only Radiohead can perform nothing less. The first two songs were from HTTT, 2+2=5 and Sit Down Stand Up. These sounded great live. Then, one of my favorites - Paranoid Android. It never ceases to amaze me how good this song is live (as Suffolk Downs, too). They played all the favorites of mine from HTTT - Go To Sleep (f'ing unreal how good it sounds), There There, Where I End & You Begin. They didn't play Fake Plastic Trees (nor Suffolk Downs), so I guess I'm going to have to keep seeing them live until I do hear it! And then, CREEP. Who would've guessed a treat like that? You would have thought Mt St Helens just erupted. The crowd went nuts, and of course, knew all the words - and the band loved it. Thom was very kinetic (like the B side). Jonny was very focused (I was closest proximity to him), and jammed like crazy. Phil must've wringed his suit out - he must've been soaked 'cause it was so damn humid. Colin had a great time, singing along - and his bass line on National Anthem is worthy of a Grammy in and of itself. How he keeps it up is amazing. Ed was excellent as always. The band was fresh and had a great time, as did the fans -- and that's what a Radiohead show should be. Felt a little apprehensive for the lawn folks way in the back who were on metal bleacher seats - there was quite a bit of lightning just prior to the show. But, all was well.

The Jicks were a great opener. They were a little Weezer-like (I had never heard of them), but now I have to pick up a CD. I'll see you next time Radiohead!

Flav

As we waited for Stephen Malkmus to finish his set and bypassed the $7.00 cups of watered down beer, stormclouds were blooming around us and most of the people around us were commenting on them. My friend and I had seats in the pavilion so we weren't worried about any sudden downpours. Lightning flashed in the distance, sending electricity through the air. I was already excited about my first Radiohead concert experience, and this just made it that much more interesting. Who would have thought that the next day would bring the biggest power outage in the history of the U.S.? All the energy was used up by the audience at the Radiohead show, I guess.

What a show. I don't know how to put it in words. When they walked out on stage with the beat to 2+2=5 starting up, the crowd exploded. And when they PLAYED...oooh. I spent a lot of time looking at each member of the band from my lofty perch, checking to see if they matched the personalities I had pegged on them by watching Meeting People is Easy countless times. Johnny didn't just play his guitar, he wrestled with it. Thom danced like a madman, getting everyone into the spirit of things. Ed...well, Ed's really tall. And he can play amazingly well. Colin's jumping and singing along was addicting. And Phil is the master of the beats. I think during the whole show there was only one mistake. Johnny hit a wrong note during No Surprises which kinda caught Thom off guard, but that was more funny than annoying.

Lessee, the highlights. Creep. For most of the real fans at the concert (not the teeny boppers in tank-tops with words printed on the ass of their pants), Creep was understood as a joke, a song that Thom really didn't want to play, but since the request was so high, he might as well have fun with it. He sang it perfectly, but his body language told all of us, "Well, here we go again. Fridge buzzzzz..." He changed one of the lyrics too. After he sang "I want a perfect body," he spoke, "so I can look good next to you." It was hilarious. He didn't speak much to the crowd. He said thank you a few times, and there were a couple songs like Scatterbrain which he said were "for all you lovers out there." I was surprised to hear Climbing Up the Walls, not one of my favorites but played very well. There There had Ed and Johnny slamming away on the drums, in absolutely perfect unison. Of course, Thom's voice was dead on the entire night. When he sang Sail to the Moon, it actually made me a little teary eyed. And when he sprinted from the piano to the microphone in an attempt to sing his line on time in Backdrifts, I almost peed my pants laughing. Everything in its Right Place was where Johnny shined, as he was the last person out on stage for it at the end, using his gadgets and tape loops to continue the song to the beat of our clapping. I seriously could have listened to that one part all night.

I think that everyone wished it could have been a longer show. There are so many good songs, infamous songs, that were not played. When the screen behind them started scrolling FOREVER, I was hoping that's how long they would play. But you know, when it comes to Radiohead, I'll take what I can get. And it gives me more than a good excuse to see them again. Hopefully soon.

I think the part that will stay with me most was when the audience applauded during "No Surprises" after the "bring down the government" line. I'm sure that the band was nervous about coming to America and possibly finding some disapproval for their political stance. Hopefully this show of band/audience unity will show them that they need not worry. I'm pretty sure I heard Thom chuckle or greatly crack his voice during the song's next line, so I think he got the message.

Two encores, two hours of music, a fantastic show. Damn. Thank you Radiohead.

Review by Roberto:
Got to Mansfield an hour and a half before the show started. Went with my close friends. We got lost on the drive over, but didn't matter due to the bizarre fun ones can have in a car.
I, being a huge Radiohead fan, was pretty excited to see them live for the first time. The Jicks got onstage at 731pm. No one seemed to pay much attention to them and just waited for them to get off stage. They ended their set at 815pm.
After an incredibly long wait, at 845pm, all the lights went out and everyone burst into applause and screams. Noises were started to play, and after about a minute, 2+2=5 started. Incredible opening. Thom and the band seemed to be having a lot of fun, since this was the kickoff of their US/Canadian tour.
Favorite performances of the night: Paranoid Android, Kid A (beautifully stunning), where i end and you begin, Sail to the Moon, Climbing up the Walls, CREEP (didn't see this one coming, incredible), like spinning plates, go to sleep, national anthem (Thom mocked the American National Anthem before the song, everyone cheered. The song was INSANE!), There There.

My first time seeing them, and it was so far the best concert i have ever seen. Then the encores began. They started off by doing Lucky, my favorite Radiohead song, which basically brought me to tears. And they ended the first encore with Everything In Its Right Place, which was just perfect.

They came back for a second encore. No Surprises got everyone in an anti-Bush mood, which was great. And the last song of the night... Idioteque. Mindblowing.

Everyone wanted a third encore, but all the lights came on and everyone seemed a little disappointed. But Radiohead created something which is rare to witness, something surreal. Thom's dancing, Colin's jumping and singing along, Ed's playing, Johnny's toying around with everything, and Phil's drumming (what a dapper dresser!) seemed to have given everyone in the audience and unforgetable experience.

Incredible energy. What a fucking show.


Sincerely,
Roberto Fuentes
Bbertie@comcast.net

Review by Johnny:
Radiohead was my first real concert, and it was certainly one helluva start. Radiohead were the first band I ever really liked, and are still my favorite band by far, so seeing them was all the more amazing. 2+2=5 was an amazing way to start off the concert, and when the song exploded about midway through the place erupted. They played a few more songs off HTTT, and the fact that they can pull off that stuff so flawlessly live never ceases to amaze me. Surprisingly My Iron Lung was the only song played off The Bends, but it was still amazing. Later on a full moon came up during The Gloaming, and it seemed all too perfect. Climbing Up The Walls (my personal favorite) came up next, and I could see the hair on my arms stand up during it. Plus the way Jonny managed to use the radio never once came across as forced. Next came Creep, which was obviously a surprise to everyone. Most of us realized the irony in it, but still some danced around, completely oblivious to what was happening. Thom kinda slurred "I want a perfect body, so I can look good next to you", and everyone sort of laughed with him. Later, The National Anthem was played with so much energy, you could feel it in everyone. And the big screen behind them began scrolling FOREVER right as Everything In Its Right Place ended, and Jonny stayed out and did his little weird sample thing with Thoms voice. That was definately a highlight. In the 2nd encore, No Surprises was played, and you could feel the whole crowd reacting when Thom dropped his line about the government. The night went out with a bang with Idioteque, and Thom became so crazed near the end that you could see the bottom of his mike stand come flying at you on the big jumbo-screens. He didn't really say too much during the show though (but I remember him saying "Next we will play this one" in a really funny voice), but it was still probably the best 2 hours of my life. Lets just hope they will grace us with a show again soon! - Johnny K

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