Radiohead
Main Stage, Rock-en-Seine Festival
Paris
August 26, 2006

(...) This is rock'n'roll and entertainment of rare class.

As is Radiohead, who have surely staggered everyone that's seen them in the last few months as they tour material from their upcoming, currently untitled LP across the globe. Even from seemingly half a mile away they're spectacular, from rocket opener "2+2=5", to a spasming "Idiotique", to the blitz of red lights and sonic flames of "The National Anthem", to "Karma Police", which sees the audience losing itself as one. Equally compelling is the virtual silence from the crowd that accompany a series of completely new tracks, as the iconic images of this dazzling group at their sublime, heavy but uplifting work transmit on a bank of abstract screens to a transfixed Parisian field. And no, they didn't play "Creep", thank God.

Ben Gilbert

Dotmusic
06.09.06