Radiohead

[jsutin]

Radiohead - Bonnaroo torrent

I found this excellent review of the show on etree, and thought I should share it:

orgwell    2006-06-21 04:28:19
I have to say that the Radiohead show was at least culturally significant if not the greatest show in musical history (trying to exaggerate, but still...). I personally don't have the greatest lineage of the band's evolution, but this show was far and away better -- exponentially, even -- than when I saw them on Hail To The Thief. Not only was it overwhelming to see them among so many of my closest strangers, but the "ViBe" of the crowd was compelling to say the least. The band couldn't have chosen a more effective song list -- one that was both emotionally hard-hitting and also covertly psychedelic in nature.

And the crowd certainly responded in kind. Immediatley upon the first notes of "There There", right as the dusk was eschewing purple, THOUSANDS of people flipped out and released a fucking SEA of glowsticks. I had never heard of -- let alone seen -- anything like it, and it was the only way the show could have opened. [Later on, during one of the newer songs, lonely glowsticks came up one at a time, creating a "microorganism playground" sort of chaos to the air.]

Visuals were crazy, too. From the above-stage staggered purple displays, the four-way split screens and the geometric snakes to both the fireworks exploding and the helicopters flying directly overhead at the songs' various peaks and valleys -- the band knew what a monumental event this was to be.

The band knew what festival they were coming to, and the crowd that was in attendance. There were a myriad of reasons for each song played, from the emotionally soul-scraping ("Exist Music", "No Surprises", "Street Spirit") to the straight-up hard-rocking dance numbers ("Paranoid Android", "National Anthem", "The Bends", "Idioteque") to the pretty obvious references to psychedelic/Buddhist principles ("How To Disappear Completely", "Pyramid Song", "Karma Police"). Additonally -- they didn't play "Creep"; I wondered if they would, and was thankful that they did not cave in to the crowd's expectations.

Finally, it was extremely significant for THIS band to be playing THIS specific festival. After Woodstock, America no longer had a festival to call its own -- until along came Bonnaroo. Radiohead's last album, especially the title, expressed their loathing for this country -- for our government, for our (non-) culture, and for the majority of Americans whom lazily support both crappy government and crappy culture. So for Radiohead to come in and steal America's biggest festival during the time of Bush's worst approval rating yet... unprecedented, marvelous, genius.

It was a time when I think Radiohead may have been speaking more directly than ever before to those of us who might truly be in their corner. To serve an example, I don't know if I've ever felt a more concrete sense of belonging as during "You And Whose Army?" when Thom showed us that we were, indeed, an army congregated. [It WAS like being at mass.] How could we not, 60,000 strong? There was certainly a sense of unity, that we were all there for, indeed, a true purpose -- not simply for "good music."

Just as I believe that all music was ascending to the "creation" of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon, I believe that all live music may have been evolving toward this night in particular as well. Life here on Earth is getting pretty messed up, but Radiohead came to tell us that eventually: 1) the Evildoers will get theirs in the end (Bush especially); 2) we, as the proletariat, will eventually regain "control" of our lives; and 3) that we can only do it all together, as the Radiohead Army.

You should all download this show. It was the greatest thing I have ever witnessed in my entire life, and I wish more of you could have been present for it.

Sincerely,
--the dude with the Escher backpiece (in case you saw me)

[eunuchprovocateur]

what an awesome show, ty

[Oldnewtype]

I am not making the mistake of missing bonnaroo a third year and a row god fucking dammnit. Just from watching Matisyahu's set I could feel the amazing collective vibe the guy who wrote that review was talking about during the festival. Thats what happens when theres 60,000 people in one place with probably at least 5,000 of them tripping balls

[no name cola]

oh man, you say "tripping balls" too?
we use that saying all the time. (my friends and I)

[Fireal1222]

tripping your balls off is a common phrase

[Fireal1222]

nah that sounds about right.

[Fireal1222]

no, but i doubt that more than 5,000 ate there pychadelics all at the same time.. the most people tripping at once was probably about 5,000 people

[ben]

I was listening to Kid A lastnight at 2 A.M. when I was driving home from "work".  It was pretty nice for the drive.

[no name cola]

KID A is good. i listen to it on a nightly basis.

[Fireal1222]

hail to the thief is perfect for a late night drive

[Oldnewtype]

I'm falling in love with HTTT more and more every night

[beat ohhh]

... but Radiohead came to tell us that eventually: 1) the Evildoers will get theirs in the end (Bush especially); 2) we, as the proletariat, will eventually regain "control" of our lives; and 3) that we can only do it all together, as the Radiohead Army.

suuuuure. 

[no name cola]

I'm falling in love with HTTT more and more every night

HTTT is definately a great collection of songs. but KID A is a perfect album. from start to finish. but i could agree that HTTT has more better single songs.

[Fireal1222]

amnesiac > kid a

[no name cola]

yeah, i used to think that... but man, when i listen to KID A now its like im watching an animated movie. every song compliments every song.

but Amnesiac is a pretty kickass album too.

i dont really know how to describe KID A being perfect. cause it was never my favorite album until about 2 months ago.

OK Computer and Amnesiac were always above it.

[Fireal1222]

i listen to KID A only once and a while anymore..

its an amazing album, but it seems to be very short.. its tough for me to actually rank the albums cause i love them all for different reasons

[Fireal1222]

phils drumming on amnesiac is his best by far... its tough to notice at first. but now that i said that if u focus in on the drums, youll be like wow


the drums hold amnesiac together

[no name cola]

fuck yeah. im a drummer so i totally notice that, Phil is the perfect drummer for the band.

Pyramid Song, I Might Be Wrong, Knives Out, Life in a Glass House. all solid drumming.
and i know that cause ive covered those songs.. minus Life in a Glass House.

and i do have to admit that Life In A Glass House has become my favorite Radiohead song ever.

[Fireal1222]

life in a glasshouse used to be my favorite radiohead song ever...


the drumming in you and whose army is absolutely unbelieavable, he makes the piano become so much more alive when he plays


phil on hail to the thief is absolutely brilliant, again i use the song, where i end and you begin, but its such a standout song for the entire band, and phils drumming is awesome

[no name cola]

i agree.