Coors Amphitheatre | Chula Vista| USA | 28-09-03

setlist:
01 2+2=5
02 sit down. stand up
03 where i end and you begin
04 lucky
05 myxomatosis (thom- "this is a song about a manmade disease called myxomatosis")
06 kid a (thom- "this is a song about lynching")
07 sail to the moon
08 talk show host
09 paranoid android
10 just
11 no surprises
12 go to sleep
13 scatterbrain (thom to person in the front "whos jenny?)
14 you and whose army?
15 idioteque
16 the gloaming (Thom: “this one’s for the children.”)
17 there there

Encore #1:
18 pyramid song
19 the national anthem / hunting bears
20 a punchup at a wedding (thom- 'whats the big deal? whats the big deal?)
21 how to disappear completely

Encore #2:
(thom- weve been in LA- did the hollywood thing, this is a song about that)
22 karma police (a capella -I lost myself, I lost myself)
23 everything in its right place

soundcheck:
blow out
we suck young blood
subterranean homesick alien
Airbag
2+2=5

[thanks todd, jim, joe, danny & ryan]

Review by Jim: 4th show of the tour. Caught Boston (lawn), Salt Lake City (front and center pit), Hollywood Bowl Friday (somewhere in the middle), and tonight (got 'upgraded' through some sort of miracle from the lawn to section 102, front and middle).

San Diego wins.

Im an even worse poet than you are so I cant explain it. I tried in my SLC review (radiohead, mindfuck, david byrne, energy, being there). But i can point out a few highlights... first- always go to the box office early and see if they rereleased any tickets. we got upgraded from the lawn to section 102, close and center. for 6$. soundcheck- blowout, we suck young blood, subterranean homesick alien, airbag, and 2+2=5. ripping and loud. Thom was talkative and appreciative...many "thank you's" and "this song is about's". Talk Show Host -> Paranoid -> Just (explosive) ->No surprises. what year is this? Johnny's jam to end Go to Sleep is honed and ripping. Talking thom.. "this is a song about a manmade disease (myxomatosis)..."this is a song about a lynching (KID A)... "This one is for the children (Gloaming, sampled)"... "whats the big deal?"(how to disappear)..."is that a death threat" (to a fan in the front)...talking about LA and the "hollywood experience" to introduce Karma Police. The whole show was absolutely flawless technically. and Meanster is soft.

Guess I gotta go back to work. Think I'll try surfing tomorrow first.

out.

Review by Rurality: Radiohead continue to amaze. Another fabulous show under their belts. Tonight at Coors Ampitheater they busted out :

How To Dissappear Completely
Pyramid Song
Just
Kid A
No Surprises

Thom mugged the piano cam as usual on You And Whose Army?, dedicated Karma Police to Hollywood/Los Angeles. Jonny was so awesome on guitar tonight too, Thom, Ed & Colin were all playing the end of Go To Sleep together just watching Jonny go nuts, good times forever, Cheers.

Review by Drew Stewart: If I died right now I would have the biggest smile on my face. Why you ask? Because I had pit tickets to the Radiohead show in Chula Vista. Not only did I have pit tickets but I was in the 2nd row right in between Thom and Johnny. They opened the show with 2+2=5, a strong start and it really got everyone pumped. They went through the normal songs that have been played on this tour from Sit Down Stand Up to Where I end and you begin, then on to lucky. Lucky really quieted the crowd, but in a good way. A kind of clever way of setting everyone up for Myxo, Kid A, the Sail to the moon. The 8th song was Talk Show Host, and they surprised everyone. I was really glad they played it in Chula Vista since it didn’t come out in either Bowl shows. Then on to Paranoid Android, it really woke the crowd up and got them ready for the next great song. They pulled Just out of no where, everyone went crazy when they started playing and it didn’t quite down till they finished the song. A great version of Just. No Surprises was next, the tasteful ballad had everyone near tears. Then on to Go To Sleep where Johnny’s guitars had everyone in a trance, Johnny even extended the crazy outro riff a couple min. longer. Even the rest of the band were looking over at him, all smiles on there faces. After the song was over the crowd started chanting Johnny’s name. Thom went over to him and Johnny said something to Thom, then Thom asked the audience “Who’s _____ “ you couldn’t really hear what name he asked but It was a girls name. Then a second later Thom said “Johnny your deaf mate” After a good chuckle from the audience it was off to Scatterbrain, then You and Whose Army. Where Thom used the little camera on his piano to play with the crowd a bit, turning around ever so often to stare at the crowd. Idioteque was next and everyone again were jumping up and down, really feeding off of Thom’s energy. Then the Gloaming and There There were next to end the main set. They opened the first encore with the Pyramid Song, then kicked it up a bit with the National Anthem. Then there was another out of no where song. Hunting Bears popped up and I think a lot of people were confused, I think they thought it was a new song because I heard a few people ask what song it was. Then the bass infused Punch up showed up and kicked it around till How To Disappear Completely calmed everyone down and ended the first encore. Karma Police opened the second and final encore. After the song was over Thom started singing to the crowd with no instruments playing at all, it was really the highlight for me, just the crowd and Thom singing together, singing to each other. Everything in its right place closed it out in great fashion. A killer show one I will never forget and one you wish you could have seen.

Review by Glo: If Radiohead was a planet, they'd definetely be Pluto. The distance and the coldness is a dead give-away. But their passion for their music makes up for that. These wonderful creatures are absolutely not human on stage. They're androids dressed in skin...perhaps paranoid?

I am truly convinced that Johnny Greenwood is a fucking full blown genius. The fact that he practicly RUNS the show amazes my mind. The man plays around 7 instruments a night. But we all know it's Thom whose up there, pouring his heart and his soul out to the masses he probably thinks of as his saviours.

And i'm also convinced that Myxamatosis is quite possibly the best live song in recent human history. The strongness of that song and how Thom gets into it is amazing beyond belief. Definetely the highlight of the night.

Another highlight (and song i've been dying to hear) was You and Whose Army. For people who haven't seen this, they place a camera on the piano where Thom is and it zooms RIGHT up on his face. I mean it's up to his nostrils! And he's singing and making funny faces and it's on the big screen and he's cracking everybody up! It was the funniest shit ever!

Other highlights:

No Surprises <---I've always wanted to hear that one live

Idioteck <---but hey, that's ALWAYS a highlight

How to Disappear... <---i could easily melt into this song

TALK SHOW HOST!!!! <---i cannot believe they played this. Simply amazing.

Just <---always nice to hear old shit.

Pyramid Song <---you know, Sail Me to the Moon part 1

Thom said something about how they were in LA the past couple of days and they had the whole "Hollywood Experience" and said that this was dedicated to Hollywood...and went right into Karma Police. After the song and the music stopped, he led everyone into a sing-a-long of "this is what you'll get..."

I had PIT SEATS also from the Box Office. Tonight was pure heavenly bliss. All I wanted to hear was Army and it was done.

Radiohead=GENIUSES...i swear to CHRIST they are geniuses. they're unhuman. they're androids...i am convinced they are.

glo (gloforumz.com)

review by todd: i just made some notes to be more specific on what was said during the show:johnny was more into it than i have ever seen on any videos i have seen of them performing live. everyone was in good spirits and seemed to really enjoy it. tom was very thankful and appreciative, and he was very into the performance. i'd like to add that the traffic SUCKED and was probably the worst experience I've had going to/coming from a concert. hours and hours (more than usual) of sitting and not moving. annoying people on the lawn too - No, you don't sound like Thom Yorke when you sing, so don't...I want to hear HIM, not YOU. and stop trying to analyze every thing they are doing on stage, and if you're going to analyze it, do it somewhere else and shut up so the rest of us can enjoy the show. and don't talk about johnny like he is your best friend...if any of the above matches you, please, take note.
there, i feel better.

05 myxomatosis (thom- "this is a song about a manmade disease called myxomatosis")
06 kid a (thom- "this is a song about lynching")

12 go to sleep johnny played a very long solo where he really went off on guitar, and at the end and afterward everyone was chanting "johnny johnny" and tom said "who's Jenny?" - jokingly because "Johnny" sounds like "Jenny".
14 you and whose army? playing around on the camera - making faces, pointing, gesturing to the crowd thru the camera during the song - was obviously in a good mood.
16 the gloaming (Thom: “this one’s for the children.”)

Encore #1:
20 a punchup at a wedding (thom- 'whats the big deal? whats the big deal?)


Encore #2:
(thom- we spent the last few days in LA - CROWD: mixed boos and some cheers - thom - yeah, so we got the whole hollywood experience...the whole thing - (sarcastically)) - also dedicated karma police to the people on the lawn seating - thom -"This is for the people in the back who can't see" crowd cheers and lights come up)
22 karma police (at the end acapella -I lost myself, I lost myself)

~todd

review by kelly: If ever there was a Radiohead concert to see, it would have to have been this one at the Coors Ampitheater. This was my third concert of this tour. I saw them at Red Rocks in Colorado (yes I flew all the way to Colorado to see them!), at the Hollywood Bowl (Thurs) and now in Chula Vista. Thank you - thank you - thank you!

This concert was AMAZING! I was able to move down into the 5th row of section 102 and had an incredible view of the band. The whole show was spectacular but some of my favorite highlights were:

2+2=5 - a total crowd hit! This really got everyone into the mood for a spectacular night.
No Suprises - a scattering of applause during the lines "bring down the government, they don't speak for us" brought a smile to my face
Scatterbrain - Thom's voice sent chills down my spine!
You and Whose Army - Thom wagging his finger into the fishlens camera that was competely zoomed in on his face. He is such a cutie :)
Idioteque - the energy this song brings about is phenominal. If I used drugs, I think this is what being high would feel like!
Pyrimad Song and How to Disappear Completely - I have wanted to hear these songs live so badly and they sounded flawless. The whole crowd looked absolutely mezmerized.
Karma Police - Brilliant preformance - Thom singing acapella at the end was a fun end to an incredible night.

Thank you so much Radiohead! You have outdone yourselves yet again. Please don't be strangers to California - you are adored here!

-Kelly Hennessey-

Review by Joey: I wasn't able to buy tix for the LA shows so I missed the Hollywood Bowl shows I was able to get Chula Vista tix by miracle Lawn seats was the only thing avalable, so I drove down there from LA with my girlfriend and here room mate who has never seen RH live. we went early about noon time to try and get her room mate a ticket. the box office was opened and selling tix. we went to enquire about Lawn seats and low and behold there was section 203 first row seats available for only $46. Dead smack right in the center.We bought 3 new tix and sold our 2lawn seats for face value it worked out perfect. We had never been to the Coors Amphitheater and it was a GREAT place to see a concert specialy RADIOHEAD It was this Summers best concert maybe its becouse Radiohead is my favorite band but our room mate thought it was amazing and her best concert this summer also. The set list was awsome and thom interacted with the fans lots of times like sing alongs jokes and dedications. Johnny is a musical master mind along with the rest of the guys.

Best Radiohead I've seen yet Joey In Eagle Rock (LA)

Review by Shannon: I was disappointed with Friday nights show at the Hollywood Bowl - our seats were way too far away to see anything, and while there were a couple of great moments (Creep, Fake Plastic Trees) I left feeling there was no way anything could ever compare with the show I saw in Verona in May of 2001. Thankfully the audience around us were totally cool - no talking or other typical LA behavior.

Was I ever wrong. Sunday at Coors was so mind blowing. we got there and our seats were five rows back from the pit, so we were only about 30 feet from the stage. This was the closest I have ever been and it was great to see Ed making faces and playing with the crowd, to see Jonny move around playing what seemed like a gazillion instruments, to see Colin at all (he is always hiding in the back.) Sometimes the five of them seemed so tuned to each other. it was a very, very special night.

Part of the reason I came away from the Hollywood Bowl disappointed was that many of my favorites weren't played, but at Coors it was like my dream set list. After 2 +2 = 5, Sit Down Stand Up, and Where I End and You Begin, they played Lucky which I desperately wanted to hear. It was slow, lush. Fantastic. Then into an immense Myxomatosis, it was LOUD and intense. Cool green lighting on this one. I'll fast forward - Kid A, Sail to the Moon, Talk Show Host, Paranoid Android. then, finally, JUST. I thought I would die. After three shows without hearing it I was always hoping. But nothing could have prepared me for this moment. This is why bands with three guitars rule. It just about ripped my head off, I almost passed out. The pit is going crazy at this point. Then a sweet and beautiful No Surprises, and a slammin' Go to Sleep where I was really, really happy I could see Jonny with his crazy guitar solo at the end (my favorite moment of HTTT I think.) Scatterbrain and You and Whose Army (got to see Thom's mugging at the Hollywood show too, because of the screens - pretty funny.) Idioteque got everyone going again. The Gloaming next, and then There There (mi dio - the DRUMMING) and then the first set was done. The first encore opened with Pyramid Song, and I love this song so much I want it played at my funeral. This is Thom at his finest, he just reaches in and grabs your heart and clutches it. National Anthem and Punchdrunk at a Wedding next, then How to Disappear Completely (another breathtaking moment). For the final encore, Karma Police and I was thinking, could they have been better? No. The only thing I wish is that they wouldn't always end with Everything in it's Right Place, because then you know it is going to end.

All of them were clapping for us, too. They loved us. It was a great night.


Review by Kenton: Words cannot describe how incredible I felt when I saw Thom & Co. take the stage last night. I have been a fan since 'OK' but have never been able to see them live. I thought '2+2' was an excellent choice as the opener, 'Sit Down' rising up out of it accompanied by an incredible light show on the screen behind. Thom's voice was a little shaky at first, but grew in stature and confidence by the time 'Lucky' was played. 'Sail' was elegiac and beautiful, the vocals were clearer and more solid than the album take. 'Talk Show Host' came out of nowhere and sounded incredible, I was amazed to find everyone singing along. 'Paranoid Android' and 'Just' made an incredible double-header, the audience jumping and pulsing during the crescendos. Much has already been made Re: Johnny's incredible guitar work on 'Go to Sleep', suffice to say it doesn't easily leave your consciousness. Thom was sardonic during a tongue-in-cheek rendition of 'Whose Army', mugging for the camera and changing his vocal inflection to ironic effect. Johnny's sampling on 'The Gloaming' and 'National Anthem' was particularly distinctive. 'Punch Up' was played to an almost tribal effect, the rolling baselined unusually pronounced. "How to Disappear' was beautiful as always. 'Karma Police' was greeted by a tremendous swell of cheers. 'Everything' was the perfect closer, seeming to go on 'forever' as the screen behind looped the word. All in all, a perfect evening with the resident geniuses of music, the house band for the new millennium, those harbingers of detached angst and uneasy guilt-ridden insecurity - Radiohead.

- Kenton

Review by Bluezboy: Damn, that was an amazing show!! San Diego doesn't usually show up on RH's tour itinerary ( last gig here was in '95 ), and we wanted Thom and the boys to know that, hell yes!, we love this band!! Coors Amphitheatre was packed, so they gotta know we care. I was center stage, down close and it was the perfect vantage point to tke in this incredible show. All the current new faves were played, especially liked Myxomatosis and Paranoid Android. The multimedia visual attack of their stage just blows the mind - had most all of us doing the Hail to the Leaf and happily soaking it all in! The whole thing just sailed past too quickly, and next thing I know Thom is telling us that the group was really feeling it after just spending the weekend up in Hell-A. I thought to myself..." Karma Police, yes!", right as he launches
into the opening chords. F**kin' Awesome!!

Review by MrNeutron: Someone should mention Thom's awesome coat with the large numbers printed wraped around the middle. As noted, Go to Sleep was particularly good tonight, thanks to Johnny, but so was Myxomatosis and How to Disappear, the later extremely strong from Thom so late in a show. Unfortunately for me, the setlist was extremely similar to Shoreline, but compared to that, Tom's dancing was much subdued and very one-note (the writhing thing with his knees in the air). Perhaps due to fatigue after a week of performing or maybe his jeans were more constricting.('Dance, you fucker! Dance, you fucker!' [claps hands imperiously]) Anyway, it kind of dimished the usual impact of idioteque, the gloaming, and national anthem. The first I thought sounded great: Thom really sang it with clear tones rather than his more common shouting it (not that that doesn't work too). Glad to see pyramid song, but why so little Amnesiac? Was hoping for planet telex, got Just instead. I heard towards the end, 'You stupid fucker'. This line done before? Also, it would be nice if they would go for in limbo and motion picture soundtrack more often. Punchup impresses much more live, doesn't it? Last thing: scatterbrain and sail to the moon had little done to them beyond the album; I know a lot of people HAVE to hear these, but I really don't see the point. Would have much preferred Motion Picture or Exit Music in place of sail (for me, the least of the ballads). Well bitch bitch bitch, but I had great seats (103F), great view, great show.

--MrNeutron

KurtVonnegutson: I saw this show and the one on Thursday at the Hollywood Bowl. Both shows were awesome, but I enjoyed the one in Hollywood more. Surprisingly, the people in San Diego were much ruder. The only bad thing about either show were people smoking. I couldn't breathe because some a-holes couldn't do their filthy deeds in the parking lot or somewhere other than right in my face.

It's not on the setlist, but Hunting Bears was played after one of the songs(don't remember which, maybe The Gloaming).

Review by Cory: I have a few corrections about the show in Chula Vista. First off, when Thom asked the guy in the crowd who Jenny was, it was in response to the crowd's chanting 'Johnny' because he had done an awesome guitar solo at the end of Go To Sleep. Someone was shouting 'Jenny' instead of 'Johnny', to which Thom asked 'who's Jenny?' and said 'You're deaf, mate', and not 'Is
that a death threat?'

Additionally, in the sing-along to Karma Police, which was quite beautiful, the lyrics were 'Phew for a minute there, I lost myself..."

Incidentally, I received poor directions from Mapquest, and made it across the border into Mexico and missed the first 6 songs. P.S. Parking is a nightmare at this venue.

Review by Michelle: Even from section 302 Row P, Radiohead was astounding. The show itself was a cacophony of amazement. And just the thought of being in the same amphitheater as Radiohead was surreal. When the music began it was orchestral orgasm.

Opening with 2+2=5 brought the crowd out of their seated funks and we all soon realized that we may never see anything like it again. (If I could have seen at all.) Coors' lack of using the big screens was depressing but at the same time there were small side screen. Besides, our eyes were all fixated on Thom's spaztic dancing way down below. To the fans at the very front, I envy their ability to have seen Thom's expressions.

The second song was "Sit down stand up" and I writhed and danced along with Thom and the band during "The rain drops the rain drops..." The rest of the audience writhed, as well, with the repitition.

Brilliance.

I have never seen something so amazing in my life. The light show was a beautiful epileptic dream and brought the band to life, as many fans think they are British droids who simply refuse to play "Creep".

But never fear because they played "JUST" from THE BENDS which was definitely the highlight for many old fans.

During "YOU AND WHOSE ARMY" Thom got quite close to the camera while at his piano making funny faces and beckoning us with a finger singing, "Come on, come on, you think you drive me crazy" The crowd roared with laughter to see the inane and feverishly genius Yorke being playful.

Myxomatosis was perhaps one of the most amazing of the songs played that evening with the revved up thrusts of musical genius. The music paused and Thom sang the forgotten language of his mind like the world was focused on him. Perhaps it was.

Of course they played Paranoid Android, my personal favorite. At that point I almost wanted it to "Raaaain down...on me" just for irony.

However, the surprise song was

"TALK SHOW HOST" an unexpected rarity.

By the 2nd encore the band played the very much awaited KARMA POLICE at the end of which Thom stood before the audience intrumentless and sang with the crowd "For a minute there I lost myself." It was like a camp singalong with somethousand people and Thom was holding our hands.

The ending song was "Everything in its right place" Ever so appropriate.

The line itself, "Everything in its right place" that Thom wailed seductively, was like a message to us about that moment in time. Everything was in its right place.

Once the band left the stage, the word FOREVER flashed across on a screen.

It was surreal. 'Now, I'm gonna go to sleep and let this wash all over me.'

If you missed the show? 'You can scream and you can shout...And it is too late now'

LYRICS TO SYMBOLIZE THE AFTERFEEL: "In a little while

I'll be gone

The moment's already passed

Yeah, it's gone"


Send your reviews to: reviews@ateaseweb.com

Radiohead webcast

Latest Radioheadlines

Search Radiohead At Ease


Radiohead Message Board