Radiohead- Old Trafford Cricket Ground Live Review

Radiohead – Old Trafford Cricket Ground

4/07/2017 Live Review

Now, before we start, I’d just like to say that I’ve never done a live review of a concert I’ve attended before, however, this particular gig felt so important and pertinent to me, I felt compelled to write this piece. That is all.

The anticipation I had surrounding this gig was huge, especially after seeing Radiohead’s extremely impressive set at Glastonbury just 11 days beforehand. I must admit though, I didn’t get onboard with the Radiohead bandwagon completely until relatively late on in my 19 year long life, however, when I finally relented to Thom Yorke & co, I was mesmerised by their sheer musical ability. Their ability to shift genres from record to record and the way in which they could consistently bend my prior beliefs of what I considered to be good music. For over 20 years now, the Oxfordshire band have been at the top of their game, and if last year’s record ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’ is anything to go by, the band are showing no signs of slowing down in their late 40s.

Despite the fact that this gig was originally supposed to be spread over two nights at the Manchester Arena (the gig was moved to the cricket ground following last month’s horrendous attack) there is a full capacity crowd, all eagerly anticipating the arrival of the band. And, lo and behold, at bang on 8pm, Thom Yorke, Jonny & Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway grace the stage to the delight of 50,000 fans. At every gig so far this year that Radiohead have played prior to this they have opened with Daydreaming, a low key piano-based ballad, so this is what I am expecting for this particular gig. Yet, me, and I think the majority of the crowd, are shocked when the band opt to dive straight into fan favourite Let Down from OK Computer, a song that is a live rarity in recent years and one that has never been used by the band to open a gig before. The 50,000 in attendance are certainly warmed up now. The band continues with the OK Computer theme by going straight into Lucky, a track that when sung collectively by the crowd genuinely made my hairs stand up.

Radiohead then rip through exciting, heart-pounding songs like Airbag & Myxomatosis before allowing the crowd to catch their breath with the cathartic All I Need and the beautifully sounding Pyramid Song. Many bands would opt to save the best til last as it were, but not Radiohead. Just 10 songs in and the infamous opening chords combining with the sounds of Jonny on xylophone of classic track No Surprises are introduced, much to the delight of all in attendance. The line “Bring down the government” is met to mass cheers by the crowd and an impromptu, but not unpredictable; ‘Oh Jeremy Corbyn’ chant follows on. This seems to please band bassist Colin Greenwood who joins in by playing the Seven Nation Army riff on his bass.

Just a year on from their latest album release, you would probably have expected Radiohead to play a selection of new songs. Yet, these seem to be shunned in favour of crowd favourites and rarities, a decision that definitely pleases all in attendance. Following on from the mass singalong on No Surprises, the band then surge into a electronic assortment of tracks that display the true talent bestowed on these gentlemen. Bloom, Identikit, Weird Fishes/Apeggi & Idioteque rifle their way along the setlist, enabling the audience to have a good dance and save their singing voices for later. The band then finish their main set with heavy classic 2 + 2 = 5 from 2003 album Hail to the Thief, a track that when performed live gets everyone bouncing and even results in a small mosh-pit forming, a scene that I certainly was not expecting to see at a Radiohead gig. The band then depart for the first time to a cacophony of cheer and applause before returning just a few minutes later for their first encore.

The grand piano is wheeled back onto the centre of the stage where Jonny takes his position, his head drooped over the keys, as he slowly caresses his way into slow burning ballad Daydreaming. Nude & Lotus Flower are then played back-to-back, again displaying the group’s musical ability and their apparent ease at shifting from instrument to instrument. Fan favourites Paranoid Android & Fake Plastic Trees then follow on, prompting another mass singalong. A few specks of rain begin to fall at this point, which seemingly makes the latter of these two songs seem much more poignant than when you are listening to it in your bedroom. The band then leave the stage again, however everyone in the crowd is fully aware that this isn’t going to be just a one encore gig. The band returns yet again to thunderous applause and a vast array of cheering and chanting.

Surprise tune There There begins this encore, much to the excitement of the crowd who hang on Yorke’s every lyric. OK Computer B-Side I Promise is then introduced, this particular track does not evoke much from the crowd due to its rarity, however it does display the full potential of the vocal range that Yorke possesses. "Here’s a treat for you, if we can remember how to play it. You might have to sing along with this one, I’ll probably forget the first verse." Yorke says as the band fly into The Bends, a song that is scarcely played live nowadays. The crowd are fully pumped up for this one with each and every person screaming the lyrics back towards the band. It is, for many in attendance, the highlight of the show. The group finish on classic track Karma Police with the crowd all coming together to sing “For a minute there, I lost myself” long after the band have left the stage.

Altogether, this particular performance by Radiohead has to be one of the best, if not the best, gig I have ever attended. At no other point at any gig before have I been completely immersed in music. It’s an almost alien feeling that is extremely difficult to describe. One thing’s for sure though, I did not want this gig to end. I just hope I don’t have to wait too long to see the Oxfordshire lads again.

Radiohead played:

Let Down

Lucky

Ful Stop

Airbag

15 Step

Myxomatosis

All I Need

Pyramid Song

Everything in its Right Place

No Surprises

Bloom

Identikit

Weird Fishes/Arpreggi

Idioteque

You and Whose Army?

Bodysnatchers

2 + 2 = 5

Encore 1:

Daydreaming

Nude

Lotus Flower

Paranoid Android

Fake Plastic Trees

Encore 2:

There There

I Promise

The Bends

Karma Police