Fans tune in to the magic of Radiohead

Radiohead
Telewest Arena
Newcastle
November 23, 2003
 

The rib cage that is the Telewest arena last night swelled to capacity, not only with the fired and wired fans, some from as far flung as Australia and New Zealand, but with the electric anticipation you could feel rippling through the crowd and tingling through your teeth.
 
Taking the bait, Radiohead put in one of the best performances I have seen from any band in the last few years.

The one thing you can guarantee from a Radiohead set is the diversity and pure quality of material, with a back catalogue that stretches over a decade. What impressed the most was the sheer ferocity in which the songs were delivered.

Lead singer Thom Yorke is a flurry of energy to listen to and to watch.

Like a Jack in the box Yorke unleashed his vocals and mad pixie dancing to an appreciative crowd.

Ranging from a rasping growl to borderline angelic, Yorke's adrenaline-flushed voice swept through the arena.

Everything was pretty much covered from Kid A material, 'Everything In It's Right Place', 'Idioteque' and a rousing version of 'The National Anthem' to OK Computer tracks, 'Paranoid Android', 'Karma Police' and the sublime 'No Surprises'. New material from Hail To the Thief clawed its way into the set providing the more eclectic garage rock feel to the night.

'Sit Down, Stand Up', 'We Suck Young Blood', (accompanied by the eerie slow hand clap of the crowd), and 'A Wolf At The Door' impressed but by far the best transference from album to stage were tracks 'Myxomatosis' and the heart thumping 'There There'.

Toward the end when Thom announced they were about to play classic hit 'The Bends', the crowd went ballistic and with good reason although the anthemic track 'Creep' was missing no one could complain of being let down.

Gary Beckwith

The Evening Chronicle
24.11.03