AUBURN — There are bands, and then there is Radiohead.That simple statement is enough to summarize the band’s mesmerizing two-hour concert at White River Amphitheatre on Wednesday. However, there’s nothing simple about Radiohead.
The British band is a massive musical paradox. Radiohead is the biggest band on the planet but hasn’t had a major radio single in more than a decade. Vocalist Thom Yorke’s unmistakable falsetto is equal parts haunting and soothing. The band’s sound is both modern and futuristic at the same time.
So how does this rock ‘n’ roll conundrum come across in concert during the group’s first Northwest live show in a half-decade? Perfectly.
On a night when cool summer temperatures and sporadic rainshowers could easily have ruined a highly anticipated and sold-out show, the Oxfordshire quintet delivered the best outdoor concert of the season for 20,000 adoring fans.
Radiohead’s stage setup consisted of a large video screen as a backdrop that was split into five displays, with each band member getting a camera angle. Aside from the screen, the only other stage trappings were dozens of long, skinny vertical lights resembling halogen bulbs suspended in the air and surrounding the band. The lighting rig provided some especially remarkable visuals during “Optimistic,” “The Gloaming” and other songs.
The band’s 25-song, two-encore set relied heavily on material from last year’s “In Rainbows.” The record’s opening track, “15 Step,” kicked off the show. “Reckoner,” also from “In Rainbows,” followed. Nine of 10 tracks from “In Rainbows” were performed, with “House of Cards” the lone track not given the live treatment.
While Radiohead didn’t dip too far into its back catalog, the band still managed to craft a set list that showcased its amazing talent, especially the skills of multi-instrumentalist and guitar wizard Jonny Greenwood. A stunning rendition of “Street Spirit” was the last song of the first encore. Greenwood not only perfectly delivered his guitar part for the song, but he also managed to play piano with his guitar’s head at the same time.
Other highlights included the triple-drum attack of “There There,” getting to hear the rarity “Talk Show Host” and Nigel Goodrich, Radiohead’s producer, joining the band to play tambourine on “In Limbo.”
During the first encore, “Idioteque” nearly became a massive rave with Yorke leading the crowd in clapping and dancing. Things got slightly political during the second encore when Yorke, who barely addressed the crowd, dedicated “You and Whose Army” to anyone who was involved with the 1999 WTO protests. He did the same thing the last time the band performed at White River Amphitheatre in 2003, calling the protests “World War III against hippies.”
While the concert was one of, if not the, best show of the summer, it wasn’t without flaws. The horn parts on “The National Anthem,” which are prominent on record, were replaced with electronic squeals live. But being picky about a horn section at such an exceptional show seems like a matter of splitting hairs.
Also, Yorke botched some lyrics and guitar chords during “Faust Arp,” a song he and Greenwood gave an acoustic treatment. However, the pair recovered and spontaneously broke into a brief cover of Neil Young’s “Tell Me Why.”
The two later finished the song after the slight detour and the mistake didn’t bother the crowd. Really, it didn’t matter at all, because there are bands and then there is Radiohead.
RADIOHEAD SET LIST
“15 Step”
“Reckoner”
Optimistic
“There There”
“All I Need”
“Pyramid Song”
“Talk Show Host”
“National Anthem”
“The Gloaming”
“Videotape”
“Lucky”
“Faust Arp/Tell Me Why (Neil Young cover)”
“Jigsaw Falling Into Place”
“Climbing Up The Walls”
“Dollars and Cents”
“Nude”
“Bodysnatchers”
FIRST ENCORE
“How To Disappear Completely”
“Arpeggi/Weird Fishes”
“Idioteque”
“In Limbo”
“Street Spirit”
ENCORE 2
“You and Whose Army”
“No Surprises”
“Everything in Its Right Place”
