Radiohead's first UK show since 'OK Computer', at Scott Walker's special request

The much-loved (and much maligned) Radiohead have chosen a fine venue for their first UK shows in a couple of years, a hall of such perfect sight lines and acoustics that you begin to resent the boom and fuzz of the horrible warehouses in which gigs usually take place.

And there is an enormous amount of love here - it can't be often that the RFH hears cheering of this magnitude. But then, OK Computer has only become the adored (if over-praised) record it now is since the band last played in the UK. Radiohead now have a new album to plug, but most of the audience here aren't yet sated with the last one.

They open, with a restraint they will maintain throughout the evening, with uncertain newie 'Optimistic', followed by old faithfuls 'Bones' and 'Karma Police', neither of which seem to come alive. 'Street Spirit' also fails to move. But then - thank God - out tumbles the stop-start groove of 'Talk Show Host', and a little spark enters the band. It's almost as if they needed something awkward, something difficult to get their teeth into.

And finally, the set has energy. Songs old and new are performed with real passion and vitality, and you begin to remember why this least excitable of bands get people so excited.

'Everything In Its Right Place' confirms the nature of the new material. The strong melodies that marked out 'The Bends' and were peppered throughout 'OK Computer' have been supplanted by grooves and loops. Almost every new song tonight appears to have been built from the ground up using odd, recurring figures with unusual time signatures. As a consequence, the music is less anthemic than atmospheric - 'Everything...', with Thom behind a keyboard and Ed and Jonny sat on the floor sampling his voice, looping it, trashing it and the starting over, is almost hypnotically lovely.

On the evidence of tonight, Radiohead are more mature, more interesting, more deserving of your attention than ever before...

Eyewitness Report:
During 'Fake Plastic Trees', Thom sings "If I could be who you wanted...", and a woman at the front shouts out "you are!" This throws him completely...

Rating: 8/10

Music365
02.07.00