Wednesday 21 May 2008

Guest Blog: Subterranean Waterlogged Alien

Bawley's first ever guest blog comes from a long time friend and desperate Radiohead fan.

Our newest writer has a long history of filling bars with tales of classic concerts and life changing albums in this a Bawley exclusive he shares the tale of one wet night on Radiohead's In Rainbows tour.

The weather was bloody awful for Radiohead's 11 May sold out show at Nissan (as in the car!) Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia, and despite a great set from the band, it will probably dominate my memory of the evening. It rained heavily for hours before, during and after the show and some people got into the venue late or didn't get into the venue at all because of flooding. The lawn area where we stood in a few inches of water, was probably only half full at the most. Everyone, including those in the undercover area, were obviously drenched, cold and exhausted for most of the show. Nonetheless, Radiohead played a superb gig and kept everyone mesmerized by their performance.

Whilst In Rainbows material naturally filled about half the extensive set list, they played at least one track from each of their post-Pablo Honey records. They cranked through the songs at a blistering pace and their versions of Paranoid Android, Karma Police and Everything in it Right Place were greatly received by the crowd. Other highlights included Faust Arp (on the third try by Thom after a couple of false starts), Jigsaw Falling Into Place and Fake Plastic Trees, which was apparently included in the set list at the last minute as a thank you to the fans, especially those that didn't get in. I was impressed by the sound quality of the venue, which stood up well to the wet and windy conditions, and the light show. The stage presence of the band and Thom Yorke's banter on US politics, the weather and how we should keep warm after the show made those of us up the back feel like we were in a much smaller, dryer venue.

So overall a great show, although sitting in the car afterwards for three hours as we waited to get out of the venue, on the one road that wasn't flooded, I decided that I would only do it all again for Radiohead.

Check out some clips from the show:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=B7SDj6u3eXM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DvBg-TFADJ4

For the record, the entire set list was as follows:

01. All I Need
02. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
03. Lucky
04. 15 Step
05. Nude
06. Pyramid Song
07. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
08. Myxomatosis
09. Idioteque
10. Faust Arp
11. Videotape
12. Paranoid Android
13. Just
14. Reckoner
15. Everything In Its Right Place
16. Bangers and Mash
17. Bodysnatchers

encore 1:
18. Like Spinning Plates
19. Optimistic
20. Karma Police
21. Go Slowly
22. Planet Telex

encore 2:
23. Fake Plastic Trees
24. The National Anthem
25. House of Cards

More guest blogs to come as Bawley ramps up for the northern summer tour circus.

2 comments:

Hummer said...

Looks like an awesome set list, 25 songs, all of in rainbows, with highlights across everything else. Brilliant.

Just hope the acts I see at Glasto next month are good enough to outshine the inevitable rain, flood, mud.

Bawley said...

idtI can't wait for them to come to Aus.... ahhhhhhh I will go anywhere to see them. I hear they will be in Japan in October so I'm guessing Aus in November....
-karen