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Foucault would be amused by this stage, a closed circle that looks like a panopticon, a prison cage that serves as a principle of social surveillance and discipline. In fact, the six musicians (Radiohead plus new live drummer Chris Vatalaro) want to communicate with the outside world from there. Even before the concert. A triad motif resounds from the Panopticon walls, like a variation of the Kodály 5-tone scale that aliens used to make contact with humans in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” This also works here in Berlin, at the first of four concert evenings. A triad sounds, the Panopticon wall directs its beams of light into the corner of the hall, where cheers erupt. The Panopticon walls act as a call and response to direct the masses before the first bars that the band itself plays.
The Catweazle on the round stage
Then finally Radiohead are on stage. The themes of communication and power also determine the first three songs, a suite of “Planet Telex”, “2+2=5” and “Sit Down, Stand Up”. It’s always said that Radiohead are “in a league of their own,” which would mean that they can only compete with themselves, and it’s true: They didn’t tour for seven years, leaving a void of rock, frills and electronica that no other band could perform for a mass audience.
What a great concert. The first use of a round stage may not offer any acoustic revelations, but it certainly offers visual ones. In pieces like “The Gloaming” Thom Yorke dances around the blue fluorescent-framed stage as if around a campfire, always a little as if he had to shake aggressive spiders first from his sleeve towards the waistband and then out of his trouser leg. There is no Catweazle under 1.70 meters who is more eccentric than him. He positions himself alternately in all four directions of the audience, and his band members have to follow along, which creates unusual impressions, for example when bassist Colin Greenwood has to fill gaps and, for the first time in Radiohead’s live history, which has existed since 1985, moves more than two meters away from his drummer Phil Selway; also because guitarist Ed O’Brien doesn’t like to move.
Live versions reveal new possibilities
They play “Videotape” live with the usual “Secret Rhythm”, “Weird Fishes / Arpeggi” gets an unusual Supertramp Wurlitzer flair from Jonny Greenwood and in “No Surprises” Greenwood lets himself be carried away with a solo on the xylophone that would have beautifully decorated the studio version. In general, the live versions reveal possibilities that Radiohead had certainly considered, but then rejected for the albums – they are considered the Stanley Kubricks of music, umpteen studio variations per song, and they take forever to make a decision.
The highlight of the evening, “Kid A”, for example, is played in a dark folk version (like an outtake from “A Moon Shaped Pool”), which sounds much more accomplished and lively than the “Kid A” title track with its intentionally distorted, dull production quality. It’s still a wonder that this album reached number one on the US Billboard charts. “Fashion trends for whatever – Jay!” (“fads for whatever”) is said sarcastically in the song “15 Step,” which was released later, and it’s true: Radiohead became stars against all odds. “15 Step” is one of six “In Rainbows” songs performed tonight; it is their best album, and perhaps the band’s favorite. The over-representations at other concerts on this reunion tour also indicate this.
The question about the future
Completed the two big comeback tours of the year Oasis and Radiohead. And after the excitement after the first concerts has subsided a little, the perhaps even more important question has long since moved into focus: What happens next? Is it even going ahead?
Liam Gallagher would be ill-advised not to ask his brother Noel for new Oasis songs – but they would then have to be played live, which would probably undercut the perfect concert experience of their recent “hits only” trip. And what does Thom Yorke think about new Radiohead songs? His second project The Smile may remain more important to him. After all, with him and Jonny Greenwood, it already brings together the number 1 and number 2 of the five members of Radiohead – not ideal conditions for the five of them to go into a studio again. Unlike Oasis, however, Radiohead are not just a nineties band, but also a formative noughties band; perhaps they influenced this decade even more with the indietronica of “Kid A.”
Bassist Colin Greenwood said Yorke gave the band 65 songs to rehearse. The setlist is very good but predictable. like a tour that Radiohead could have given two years after their last album “A Moon Shaped Pool”, with the implicit mission: enough of the last record – now just 25 evergreens. Radiohead sold hundreds of thousands of tickets for their 20 European concerts. It’s also about obligations, because not only die-hard fans and B-side fanatics have to be excited, but also the average listener: “Paranoid Android” and “Karma Police” shouldn’t be missing.
The setlist between security and risk
Precisely because Radiohead can count on the unconditional love of their fans, they could have mixed in their “65 songs” those that they only rarely perform. “Spectre”, “Faust Arp”, “Hunting Bears”, “Electioneering”. Also “High and Dry”. Or simply start a concert with “Paranoid Android” and end with “Reckoner”. Greenwood had promised some variability; But a certain order is clearly recognizable: “Everything in its right place” is Thom Yorke’s motto. That Radiohead won’t perform “Creep” live? It’s considered chic to despise this quiet-loud-quiet anthem of grunge – and Radiohead do that themselves. But it’s their biggest hit. (Is there any other superstar band that simply ignores their biggest hit?)
Now that the tour is coming to an end, the chances of playing “Creep” are dwindling. And perhaps it would seem too much of a weighty statement to play this song at the last performance, in Copenhagen. Too much of a cliché – Yorke would probably shudder at the thought alone. The fact that Radiohead aren’t re-evaluating their back catalog seven years after their last tour is solid, but perhaps a little disappointing. So they sound more like they were very well-rehearsed than like they were specially practiced.
But not working very well wouldn’t be a solution. Almost ten years ago, Radiohead released their last album. Since then, all members have pursued creative musical projects. And nobody from Radiohead ever did shit. Anyone who attacks them because of their political stance (Yorke and Greenwood certainly have differences) will soon be left with no arguments because Radiohead give clean answers. Watching her on stage like this will make you wish you could age as coolly as she does in 2025. For a minute there I lost myself.