With doors opening at four, and DJs keeping the crowd somewhat entertained (assuming that all of the rumoured 30,000 members of the crowd were familiar with and big fans of minimal beats and filter noise), Bat For Lashes took to the stage in the only scheduled support slot relatively late on. They, AKA Natasha Khan and her backing band, proceeded through a 45 minute set of Bjork-ish music that was far more impressive compared to my aborted attempt to see them at last year's Connect Festival in Scotland. I think my exact words then were "Sod this, this is boring."
After some technical difficulties and a brief acoustic set, the band were able to finish, with almost everything plugged back in properly, with a rousing version of "What's A Girl To Do?", which fitted comfortably alongside some very strong new material for a new album rumoured to be out before the end of the year.
During the brief intermission between acts we discussed the gigs apparent green credentials. The t-shirts, although still extortionately priced at £20, were each made from recycled plastic bottles that had been saved from landfill sites. The stage lights were energy efficient, meaning that they gave off less heat and therefore used less energy. The band themselves were re-using recycled water carriers for their onstage drinks and had elected to take with them "only" twelve guitars and two laptops for the whole tour, and use alternative forms of transport to airplanes whereever possible. All very respectable, but still did not explain why this gig cost £40 a head.
However, as soon as Thom, Jonny, Ed, Colin and Phil walk out on stage, all thoughts on environment and cost are forgotten as they begin with In Rainbows' opener "15 Step", which is just as good, if not better, than when I heard it two years previously. It sets par for the course in which every track, bar "House Of Cards", from In Rainbows is given an airing. It is for songs in before a pre-Rainbows track is played, in the form of the still-amazing "National Anthem", and over an hour into their set before anything pre-Kid A, with "Just" possibly being the most well-received song of the night, although hopefully not just because of Mark Ronson's brassed-up bastardisation, which is followed by the first of three OK Computer tracks; "Climbing Up The Walls".
In the meantime, relatively obscure album tracks in the form of fan-favourite "The Gloaming" from Hail To The Thief and "Dollars & Cents" from Amnesiac. Alongside these is are the fantastic "Pyramid Song" and the blistering former single "There There". Of all the latest tracks, the clear fan-choice is "Reckoner", whereas my personal choice was the awe-inspiring "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi". Even "Faust Arp", featuring just Thom and Jonny, is impressive.
Before "Everything In Its Right Place", a slightly chattier Thom begins a chant of "Free Tibet" with the Tibetan flag draped over the piano and a couple of amps. The main set ends with "How To Dissapear Completely" and "Jigsaw Falling Into Place", a suitable summing up of the night so far.
In the interim, there is the talk of what they will play for their (possibly) multiple encores, with some naively hoping they will give a certain "Creep" an airing. With Thom returning with a piano anticipation heightens and there is talk of perhaps "Karma Police" or "Sail To The Moon". Instead, there is an audible moan from sections of the crowd as he begins to play one of my favourite In Rainbows tracks, "Videotape".
The rest of the encore is curiously hit-free, almost in defiance to Parlophone's decision to issue a greatest hits record without their permission since their departure from the label. Instead, the brilliant "Airbag", complete with jingle bells, is played, with The Bends' opener "Planet Telex" also being played alongside the curiously chosen "Bangers n' Mash" - a song which only features upon the second In Rainbows disc availiable in the limited edition discbox last December (which incidentally is currently selling on ebay for almost double the £40 original price). The first encore ends with an unfortunately lacklustre version of "The Tourist" from OK Computer.
The second encore again begins with Thom behind a piano, this time alone and playing a barely recognisable version of "Cymbal Rush" from his solo album The Eraser. This was followed by Thom and Jonny performing "You And Whose Army?" with a camera putting Thom's face on the big screen (pictured) as he played piano. Finally, they ended on the classic Kid A track "Idioteque", with the whole band onstage.
Overall, the gig went on to show that Radiohead can pretty much play any song, from any album, and still put on a great gig, showing how consistent they have been ever since 1995's The Bends right through to last year's In Rainbows. Some reviews will criticise the lack of "hits", but if anything, this shows how the band don't feel the need to rest on the laurels and rely on songs like "No Surprises", "Karma Police" and "Street Spirit" to make a show absolutely brilliant.
While it may not be considered a classic gig in terms of their legendary Glastonbury appearances in 1997 and 2003, it just goes to show how great a band they still are and how relevant they remain.
Radiohead continue their world tour through Europe and North America this July and August.
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