“Whenever you’re ready,” Thom Yorke remarked, a hint of schoolmasterly patience in his tone, as Radiohead prepared for their encore at London’s O2 Arena.
The rare moment of levity from the frontman, typically reserved with mumbled “thank yous,” seemed to acknowledge the considerable wait fans had endured for this performance.
It has been a decade since Radiohead last issued new material, and 99 months since their preceding UK concert.
Expectation for their return ascended steadily after announcing a limited series of concerts in September. Setlists from earlier shows across Spain and Italy have been heavily reported (“Radiohead play Nice Dream for the first time since 2009”), as devoted followers scrutinized the song selections.
Sources indicate the band rehearsed upward of 65 distinct tracks.
At the O2, the band ventured through their expansive discography—from the arena rock anthems of 1994’s *The Bends* to the ethereal ballads of *A Moon Shaped Pool*, and the layered electronics of *Kid A*, presently observing its 25th anniversary.
There were subtle indications that Radiohead was experiencing some initial readjustment. Isolated moments of timing or tuning wavered, potentially attributed to the inaugural night in a new venue yet felt unusual for a band renowned for such technical prowess.
However, when the elements aligned, the effect was enrapturing and intensely captivating.
The performance commenced with the cosmic and hypnotic “Planet Telex,” succeeded by a robust delivery of “2+2=5,” composed in 2003 as a response to George W. Bush’s “War on Terror,” and acquiring heightened resonance in a geopolitical landscape perceived as inverted.
By the third selection, “Sit Down, Stand Up,” the band expanded their musical landscape, culminating in an extended percussive outro driven by session musician Chris Vatalaro.
His integration into the lineup proved informative. Radiohead’s signature style has frequently rested upon its rhythm section, which maneuvers deftly into lithe, danceable grooves, even when provided the bandmates’ most complicated material.
The prowling bassline from “National Anthem” and the emphatic drum programming in “Idioteque” presented numerous possibilities for audience participation.
It was notably amusing to observe bassist Colin Greenwood as he attempted to urge the audience to clap in sync with less conventional rhythms of “15 Step.”
Primarily, attendants opted to nod their heads in uniform appreciation of the music. At moments, resembled a convention of unified consent.
Amidst the more experimental arrangements were the well-received selections: an elegiac version of “Lucky,” a magnificently warped “No Surprises,” and a supremely transcendent rendering of “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi.”
I propose the band’s apparent aversion to earlier compositions is a deliberate tactic. They’ve consistently performed cuts from *The Bends* and *OK Computer*; inferring they won’t amplifies the excitement surrounding anthems like “Fake Plastic Trees.”
That track initiated the evening’s encore, predominantly highlighting their 1990s repertoire, featuring “Let Down,” a deep cut that has garnered newfound interest on TikTok, and the formidable “Paranoid Android.”
Introducing an aggressive rendition of “Just,” Yorke clarified it was written “on a freezing cold farm in 1994,” amidst a moment where the band presumed it would solely be acknowledged for their 1992 breakout hit “Creep.”
The subsequent course of events unfolded divergently, but the reunion positions Radiohead oddly.
The tour lacks new releases, considering member preoccupations, particularly Thom Yorke and guitarist Jonny Greenwood’s three albums as The Smile, suggesting Radiohead might have effectively dissolved.
Complicating factors included grief and parenthood, mental health, and allegations of inter-band rifts over Israel.
As recently as August, Yorke suggested a reunion was “not on the cards from where I’m sitting.”
Which elevates the decision to play in close proximity and with intimacy.
The band returns to its fundamentals, responding equally amongst themselves and performing to the assembled.
Yorke traversed the stage, executing his personal movement between acoustic guitar and electric piano, and again.
Throughout “Idioteque,” guitarist Ed O’Brien joined him in transit, vocalizing the lyrics directly. Commencing “Jigsaw Falling Into Place,” Yorke and Greenwood confronted one another, performing dueling guitars.
This suggests the tour fostered healing, irrespective of the band occupying separated dressing rooms for the first time in their tenure.
Whether this heralds something sustained is indeterminate. “We haven’t thought past the tour,” reported Yorke recently to *The Times*. “I’m stunned to make it this far.”
Their pleased fans who queued for the Tube anticipated a comprehensive comeback.
**Setlist:**
Planet Telex
2 + 2 = 5
Sit Down, Stand Up
Lucky
Bloom
15 Step
The Gloaming
Kid A
No Surprises
Videotape
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Idioteque
Everything in Its Right Place
The National Anthem
Daydreaming
Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Bodysnatchers
There There
Encore:
Fake Plastic Trees
Let Down
Paranoid Android
You and Whose Army?
A Wolf at the Door
Just
Karma Police