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At the start of the “Radiohead Tour 2025” in Madrid, Chris Vatalaro takes on a key role as an additional live drummer and complements the rhythmic foundation. He replaces Portishead drummer Clive Deamer, who supported Radiohead drummer Phil Selway for years as an additional stage member.
On November 4th, 2025, Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway finally returned to the stage together again.
At the Movistar Arena in Madrid, the band played the first concert of their major European tour in 2025, which includes a total of 20 shows in five cities – Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen and Berlin. The audience in Madrid experienced a two-hour journey through three decades of band history. From the anthems of the “OK Computer” era to “Kid A” to “A Moon Shaped Pool”. In total, Radiohead played 25 songs, spread across eight studio albums. Six songs from “Hail to the Thief”, 6 from “OK Computer”, 4 from “In Rainbows”, 4 from “Kid A”, 2 from “A Moon Shaped Pool” and 1 song each from “Amnesiac”, “The Bends” and “The King of Limbs”.
New Radiohead drummer: Who is Chris Vatalaro?
Chris Vatalaro is an American drummer, multi-instrumentalist and percussionist now based in London. He originally comes from New York State and has built up a portfolio as a sideman and studio musician over the years.
Style, technology and special features
Vatalaro combines traditional drumming technique with electronic elements, effects and a wide range of percussion instruments, from timbales to xylophone to electronic pads.
Education and musical background
He was part of the afrobeat-oriented band Antibalas for many years, and he collaborated with artists such as Imogen Heap, Jessie Buckley, Beth Orton and others. In 2023, the live album “Live At Evolution Studios” by Philip Selway was released with the string quartet Elysian Collective, to which Vatalaro contributed both drums and bass. Selway also recommended Chris Vatalaro to his colleagues from Radiohead.