Behind the Haze of Allegory, the Hard Glint of Technology
Radiohead/ Willy Mason "Come, give us a taste of your quality." Traveling around the world with your favorite band is a
daunting, expensive proposition. When the band in question is
Radiohead (whose tickets are not exactly in the "modest"
range), and the first two stops on the band's world tour are
in Copenhagen, Denmark (where a McDonald's Big Mac meal could
set you back around ten bucks US), it takes a hardcore fan to
follow.
Spring was in full, glorious swing in Copenhagen and the
air smelled of flowers in bloom. Gorgeous blue-eyed blond
people roamed the fairytale streets, resplendent with their
stylish duds and sincere smiles. The native Danes provided
help to the droves of hapless American tourists roaming the
cobblestone streets (in English no less!). The setting could
not have been better for a weekend of sitting outside of the
KB Hallen - a sports building that houses around 2,000 -
while waiting to see Radiohead.
Fans of the band from all over the globe competed to get
the best spots inside, some arriving at the crack of dawn (or
earlier). The thing to note about these fans is that they were
all hell-bent on being front and center, on standing smack-dab
in front of lead singer Thom Yorke. Well, at least the
out-of-towners. Very few actual Danes arrived early
enough to get that far up in the queue. Instead the front area
was filled with Americans who go to "every show, on every
tour" and a gaggle of Japanese women who have "attended every
Radiohead show, period."
By five o'clock, there was a sea of shaggy-haired boys in
tight rock and roll jeans, with floppy hair and Converse
sneakers (which run for a staggering equivalent of US $90 a
pop in Denmark). They stood scattered on the pavement, drunk
on beer and anticipation. This was the sexiest, most
fashionable tail-gate party of all time.
The feeling of paranoia and suspicion amongst the American
contingent was enough to make even the strongest man break
into tears. To say that this band has dedicated fans is a
gross understatement. Some of these fans are dedicated to the
point of feeling personal entitlement. And some are just
jaded: one long-time tour-follower was intent on getting
backstage to tell the band how "fucking awful" and "boring and
repetitive" their new music had sounded the night before. Mind
you, this American fan, who had seen the band forty odd times
didn't even have enough money to eat that day.
Around 7 pm, KB Hallen's crackerjack staff of fair-skinned,
statuesque security guards began to let the fans squeeze
through the doors in an orderly, meticulously organized
procession. The staff of the venue was one of the most
intriguing elements of the show. Not only were they good
looking and good at their jobs, they were helpful in practical
ways as well. Instead of making everyone buy over-priced
bottled water at a concession stand, the security staff
dutifully passed plastic cups of cold water around during the
performances to stave off heatstroke and dry mouth. When a
girl who had waited all day long outside nearly fainted, the
guards were on top of it. They not only got her out of harm's
way just in time and helped her recoup, they also made the
crowd move after she received medical attention, so she could
get her prime spot back.
In fitting with the precision of Danish aesthetics,
supporting act and Massachusetts native Willy Mason hit the
stage promptly at 8 pm. Mason, while game, wasn't able to
satisfy the eager mob with his musings about "moonshine" and
his hippie-fied Southern rock-lite sound. Granted, opening for
one of the world's biggest bands is a thankless job, but
nothing in Mason's rather flat singing or his uninspired
guitar picking suggests he will be doing it again. I couldn't
help but feel pity for the poor sap as Radiohead's fans
verbally assaulted him from the pit, hurling old heckling
chestnuts in double time.
At five minutes past nine, Radiohead took to the stage in
all their pasty, paunchy middle-aged glory, soon previewing a
selection of new material for the first time. A proper album
was to be released later this year, but, according to the
latest news, it looks like that's no longer happening. Maybe
it's for the best - the new songs didn't really sync up in a
way that indicated a great Radiohead record in the works. And
the general attitude towards the new stuff is rather mixed
among fans - Danish and American alike.
"House of Cards" was a casual, almost R&B-affected rock
ballad that provided a nice showcase for Yorke's breezy upper
register, his cooing and crooning at the height of
vulnerability. "Bangers and Mash" found the versatile Yorke
yelping from behind a small drumset as the band summoned their
inner garage rockers. The sound was a little more "raw" rock
than their usually polished, uber-produced efforts of late.
Songs like the raucous "15 Step" and gorgeous "Arpeggi" were
both solid, if not completely innovative efforts.
Not too surprisingly, Thom and the boys were at the height
of their powers on older favorites like OK Computer's
"Let Down" and The Bends' "Black Star", both of which
have been largely absent on recent tours. The Danes in the
crowd were inclined to clap and sing their way through these
more popular numbers
Saturday's concert was a decidedly more up-tempo rock and
roll affair - the crowd-pleasing "Paranoid Android" is enough
to cause a guitar squall-induced aneurism of pleasure for most
fans. The next night's show was sort of an exploration of the
softer, romantic side of the band. They played several of
their more introspective and melancholy numbers.
Constantly re-inventing their live and recorded sound,
Radiohead is able to sell out venues the world over, and it
seems that drifting into middle age isn't slowing down their
creative process. Their eclectic palette of sound seems as
vivid and varied as ever. Sure, the new songs didn't seem to
gel perfectly as a record, but these guys know what we want
better than we do - and it's never what we expect.
And that's why we love them. Rarely have I seen a show
filled with such respect for the performers. Given that the
band's core audience is one of the most discriminating of the
music world, credit must be given to its members for
constantly striving to be unique and relevant in such a
competitive climate. The overall mood of the Copenhagen crowd
would indicate that if nothing else, the band will always be
welcome in Denmark, even if the Americans and Brits get sick
of them. Of course, when even fans that think the band is
"fucking awful" are dying to get backstage, no one is getting
sick of Radiohead anytime soon.
KB Hallen
Copenhagen
May 6 + 7, 2006
—
Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2
Matt Mazur
PopMatters
22.05.06