Kristy's Blog

Just returned yesterday from the best concert experience of my life. I am now a rabid Radiohead fan! Before this, I’ve only heard one album of Radiohead’s Kid A, who the Phoenix NewTimes reviewed as, “either a piece of crap or the best album I ever heard – after two months I can’t decide” (the review made me purchase it immediately).

I added all of the pictures from the concert here. I watched a couple of people filming the concert with their Flip Video Recorders, and sure enough, here is one of them on YouTube:

I’m sure I will be boring people silly for a couple of weeks talking about this concert! I’ve never seen such a stage set, lighted only with LEDs from this environmentally-minded group, and long fluorescent tubes hung to frame the group on stage. I read a review complaining that the LED lighting was too dim, but I was up in the pit (my eternal thanks to Ed for taking me and getting such great seats!) and it seemed fine to me. The background was a 5-part split screen of each member of the group, which was so innovative, I’m sure it could be released on its own as a best-selling video.

The members of the band exuded intelligence, and they incorporated subtle political messages in the concert in unique ways. For instance: t-shirts sold were made of 50% recycled plastic bottles “pulled from landfills” and 50% organic cotton fiber. I bought one to wear (it was cooler weather-wise than I expected), and it was toasty. They also had Tibetan flags hung inconspicuously on the stage, as well as a Chilean flag.

So now the music – was it worth the 12 hour round trip drive? Definitely! Radiohead is truly talented, and gifted, unassuming and they play the kind of music I respond to, what I call the “sweet yearning”. Also, I think the lyrics are not overly important (though I’m sure some would argue that), which works out for me, since I am usually not paying much attention to the words of songs. The live music sounded even better than the released albums (and that’s saying something for me). Attention to detail was paid to every rendition of a song, and the band’s delivery seemed fresh and joyful, though the songs themselves are full of sadness and sometimes anger.

RADIOHEAD’S SAN DIEGO SET LIST, AUG. 27, 2008
15 Step
Airbag
There There
All I Need
Nude
Talk Show Host
Where I End and You Begin
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
The Gloaming
Faust Arp
How to Disappear Completely
Reckoner
Optimistic
Jigsaw
Pyramid Song
Climbing Up The Walls
Bodysnatchers

FIRST ENCORES
House of Cards
You and Whose Army?
Just
Paranoid Android
Street Spirit (Fade Out)

SECOND ENCORES
Videotape
Lucky
Everything In Its Right Place