Radiohead/
Handsome Boy Modeling School
Sears
Theatre
Toronto
Octobet
17, 2000
Rating: 9/10
Whether it’s for reasons of ego or retirement fund, it’s an accepted truth that most British bands would stab out their own eyes for a chance to ‘crack’ the US and Canada. Usually the pomp and circumstance only results in indifference and bewilderment. So it’s truly inspirational for Radiohead to have made Number One in both America and Canada simply by going against the grain - no videos, no radio-friendly tunes, few laughs. And judging by the insane scramble for tickets (£5100 for a pair in LA) such anti-industry moves haven’t hurt them one bit, despite Thom Yorke’s best efforts.
Openers Handsome Boy Modeling School (three DJs including Kid Koala) prove as equally puzzling as the headliners. Brilliantly daft, they confuse the audience by trading skittery hip hop beats until their saviour in the form of a stage-hand motions to them that their time is up.
Half an hour later the mood is pushed up by the hunched figure of Thom Yorke walking out as ‘The National Anthem’ grinds into gear minus the horn section. With lighting kept to a comfortable minimum (except for the pulsating strobes during ‘My Iron Lung’) the emphasis is kept squarely on the band as ‘Airbag’ and ‘Lucky’ are played out to the relief of crowd section bewildered by the somewhat challenging ‘Kid A’.
Spending much of the evening roguishly dedicating songs to various corporations like IBM, Microsoft, Walt Disney and EMI-Time Warner, Yorke is clearly in a playful mood. “It’s probably getting a little old,” he mugs. “But I think it’s still funny, so fuck it!" What remains is the experience of witnessing something special, the crowd left standing on their seats to the consternation of the venue security for both encores. The night comes to an end with ‘Karma Police’ proving a victory for both band and audience. If Radiohead really want to alienate themselves and decrease their celebrity they’re going to have to try a lot harder than this.
Eyewitness Report: Seeing more than a dozen photographers at the front of the stage, Yorke begins to dance during ‘The National Anthem’. Such fancy footwork hasn’t been witnessed since Iggy Pop was last electrocuted onstage.
-Jason MacNeil
Music365
18.10.00