Originally published in The Aquarian Weekly

July 12, 2006

RADIOHEAD/Theater at Madison Square Garden/June 13

by Ken Shane

NEW YORK, NY—Radiohead bass player Colin Greenwood told Rolling

Stone that last Christmas the band decided to go on tour to try out their

new songs “because otherwise we feared we would just go mad in

Oxford.” Thankfully, the band managed to escape their hometown ennui

and came to New York for two shows on their current tour. There were

lots of adjectives running through my head as I watched the first of the

shows. I knew that it would be hard to capture the emotion and the pure

energy of what I was seeing.

The two hour concert showcased a band that continues to be on the

cutting edge even though it’s been several years since they first rose

to public acclaim. Radiohead stay in the forefront by constantly testing

the boundaries, occasionally stepping over the line, but never retreating.

In this way they have established an unshakeable credibility and have

become perhaps the most respected band in the world among their

peers as well as their fans.

People paid good money for a seat at this show, but they needn’t

have bothered. From the opening moments of “You And Whose Army?”

the sold-out house was on its feet and they never sat down again. The

show itself was a mixture of old favorites like “The Bends” and “Fake

Plastic Trees,” and the more challenging material from recent albums

such as “Morning Bell,” “Kid A” and “How To Disappear Completely.”

One of the prime objectives for Radiohead on this tour is to play

some of their new songs live, in preparation for their next album. That

objective has been achieved, and if audience reaction to the new songs

that they included in their set this night is any indication, the release of

the next Radiohead album will be a cause for celebration. The new

songs seem to indicate somewhat of a return to a more simple style,

reminiscent of their earlier material, though the music is still very

challenging, and the lyrics continue to resist facile interpretation. There

were eight new songs played. The highlights for me were “Bangers N’

Mash,” “Bodysnatchers” and “Down Is the New Up.”

The entire band was in excellent form on this night. The simple stage

set was more than compensated for by a brilliant lighting design that

added just the right amount of drama to the proceedings. Thom

Yorke was in fine voice, though that voice is not prone to much between

Song commentary One of the great delights for me was to see guitarists

Jonny Greenwood and Ed O’Brien sitting cross-legged on the stage

playing with the various musical toys that were assembled there. The

rhythm section, consisting of bass player Colin Greenwood and drummer

Phil Selway, provided the rock solid foundation that allows the band to

explore new directions while maintaining an awesome groove.

Can a band with six albums behind them still be called the future

of rock and roll? The live Radiohead leaves no doubt about the answer

to that question. They rock ferociously while continuing to lead their

audience in new musical directions. Their lyrics speak to the alienation

that so many people feel these days, while the beat makes you want

to move your feet. It’s the perfect storm.