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Radiohead
with special guests:
the beta band & kid koala
city: chicago
venue: hutchinson field
date: 08.01.01
get it here!
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The Proof
is in the Pudding
by:
bill aicher
"Amnesiac?
Kid A? What shite! Where's the guitars?"
"Why
can't Radiohead make another album like The Bends?"
"Radiohead
isn't a rock band anymore."
Fuck all,
I say. While it may be true that Radiohead's guitar sound from
years past has gone the way of the dodo, their recent performance
at Chicago's Hutchinson Field should be more than enough to convince
the naysayers that this group of British cronies are still the
greatest rock band in the world.
Starting out
the show just before 6:30 was the Scottish group, The Beta Band,
who entered the stage to the theme from tv's Frasier. Their
short set consisted of a fairly varied selection of tracks from
their various albums, focusing mainly on highlights from their
new album, Hot Shots II. Their signature style of trip-hopped
electro-rock was enough to catch the attention of the crowd, but
it wasn't until their classic "Dry the Rain" from The
Three EPs that they came into their own. And, despite a failed
attempt to incite a "fuck the man" mentality against
MTV (who was at the same time celebrating it's 20th Birthday),
Stephen Mason and co. delivered a strong opening for the night.
Following
the Beta Band was famed DJ, Kid Koala. Showcasing his turntable
mastery on a set of three tables, he kept the audience entertained
as they waited for Radiohead, and managed to mix in samples from
two Radiohead tracks along the way - "Pull/Pulk Revolving
Doors" and "Fitter, Happier."
But it was
at 7:50 p.m., to the sound of Jonny's radio and a kick into bass
of "The National Anthem", that the show really began.
Pulling from an extremely varied setlist, they showcased tracks
from all their albums but placed prominence on the newer material.
A bassed-out version of "Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd
Tin Box" gave the song a new life for the arena, and the
frenzied spasm of "Idioteque" made way for Thom to enjoy
a freaked-out dance.
Tracks like
"How to Disappear Completely," "You and Whose Army"
(with a chipper Thom smiling his close-up mug at the camera),
and a rare live performance of the unreleased beautiful "True
Love Waits" showed the other side of the spectrum - the softer
side of Radiohead.
In addition
to "True Love Waits," fans were also treated with rare
performances of "Permanent Daylight" from the My
Iron Lung EP and "Lurgee," from the group's first
album, Pablo Honey - whose unpopularity, even among casual
fans, Thom Yorke joked about by stuttering the title as "Pa..pa..pa..."
without quite being able to speak the name.
After three
encores, the show finally ended with "Street Spirit (Fade
Out)," and an ecstatic audience looking on in at the band,
poised on stage, made their final exit against the night lights
of Chicago's skyline.
for
mp3s and photos from the show, check out gotcannedgoods.com!
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