Last night, alternative-rock superstars Radiohead returned to New Orleans for the first time in fourteen years. The band, which is still touring in support of their 2016 album, A Moon Shaped Pool, delivered the goods, taking the excited audience at the Smoothie King Center on a career-spanning journey through their impressive catalog. There was a palpable energy in the room, as an entire generation of Radiohead fans were blessed with their first opportunity to witness one of the premier live acts on the planet at the peak of their game. The band reciprocated with an energetic and passionate performance that was capped off by three encores.
The band opened the show with three songs from AMSP: the hauntingly beautiful “Daydreaming,” the acoustic ballad “Desert Island Disk,” and the electronic freak-out of “Ful Stop,” which featured frontman Thom Yorke rocking a miniature keyboard, adding synthesizer swirls and his trademark wiggle-dance moves to the ominous, bass-heavy track.
Moving on from their new material, Radiohead delivered a high-octane version of “2+2=5,” a fan-favorite from their album Hail to the Thief that led many in the crowd to pump their fists and bang their heads. Next up was a powerful version of “Lucky” from OK Computer, which the band continues to feature on this tour as part of the album’s 20th-anniversary celebration. This contrast between intense and melancholy would remain a theme throughout the show, as the band weaved back and forth between the two moods, as they’ve done so eloquently throughout their career.
The band remained in their sorrowful realm for a few songs, with The King of Limbs’ groovy ballad “Separator” and gorgeous In Rainbows tune “Videotape,” before running through AMSP’s “The Numbers,” which speaks on humanity and global warming’s impact on the Earth. Former OK Computer rarity “Let Down” continued its run in the live rotation for this touring cycle, once again showing up on the set list to the delight of the ecstatic audience. Drummer Phil Selway’s excitement was undeniable, as he could be seen passionately singing along with Yorke’s vocals on the track.
The King of Limbs’ opening number, “In Bloom,” marked a shift in vibe, with multi-instrumentalist Jonny Greenwood switching his guitar and his synths for a small drumkit, which he used to perfection to create the song’s rhythmic-jazz foundation. Beloved rocker “I Might Be Wrong,” which was busted out for the first time in six years on Thursday night in Miami, was performed once again, emphasizing the band’s intention to rotate through their catalog during each tour so they can keep things fresh. The band kept the heavy hitters coming with a performance of their danceable single from The King of Limbs, “Lotus Flower.”
After a quick run through AMSP’s delicate “Identikit,” the band moved back towards more aggressive material, turning in back-to-back glitch-heavy electronic songs “The Gloaming” and “Idioteque.” “Idioteque” has been a hallmark of the band’s live shows since its release on Kid A, with the band figuring out new ways to perform the song during each tour. On this version, Greenwood utilized an analog synthesizer to build the song into a frenzied loop of sounds, eschewing the typical computers and digital looping elements the band typically relies on. After relying on electronic elements in their music more and more over the years, it’s certainly an interesting choice to see Greenwood resort to the most primitive form of electronic music during this tour, perhaps as a nod to the band’s decision to re-embrace more organic sounds and instruments on their most recent album. Radiohead didn’t let the energy drop after “Idioteque,” closing their main set with In Rainbows rocker “Bodysnatchers” and a heartfelt rendition of “How To Disappear Completely” from Kid A.
After a short break, the band returned to the stage for their traditional five-song first encore. OK Computer’s Beach-Boys-inspired track “No Surprises” started things off before the band delivered a devilish version of “Burn The Witch” from AMSP. The song features a full string section on the album, however, in the live setting, Jonny Greenwood replaces those sounds by playing his guitar with a bow, reminiscent of Jimmy Page’s guitar solos on “Dazed and Confused.” The King Of Limbs’ “Morning Mr. Magpie” was up next, and it got the crowd dancing in a big way.
The energy then changed entirely with a breathtaking version of In Rainbows’ standout ballad “Nude.” Radiohead is a unique band, in that their most delicate and quiet song was the song that received the biggest cheers of the night. Yorke’s vocals on the track were incredible, proving himself as an artist that’s found his comfort zone on stage. The encore was brought to a close by perhaps the band’s most famous song, “Karma Police,” during which Yorke invited the audience to sing along loudly and euphorically. As the band walked off stage post-song, Yorke remained front and center, singing the song’s refrain of “for a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myself” while encouraging the crowd to stay in that moment with him.
When the band came back for their traditional second encore, they turned to “You And Whose Army,” a song that typically features Yorke in a somewhat flirtatious mood, toying with the audience during the song’s introduction. This version was no different, as Yorke made full effect of the camera on his piano, getting very close to the lens so you could only see one of his eyes. When the rest of the band kicked into the song’s sinister chorus, his one eye turned into many eyes, an effect that has been used on all of their previous tours but still packed a visual punch. They followed that up with a take on one of the band’s most rare and beloved songs, The Bends mega-hit “Fake Plastic Trees.”
The band walked off stage to a roar of applause and cheers from the stunned audience. After fourteen years of waiting, Radiohead had finally come back to New Orleans and delivered some of their best and most cherished material with near perfection. As the cheers grew louder, it became clear that, remarkably, the show was not over. The band’s techs were setting the stage back up for an unprecedented third encore. When the band finally emerged, the audience erupted, and the band was clearly grateful to be in the Crescent City once more.
Yorke walked to the stage and announced that they had time for “one more wee one,” which of course meant it was time for one of the longest songs in the band’s catalog, “Paranoid Android.” The multi-sectional masterpiece featured some of the most intense lighting of the evening, with swirls of colors and strobing lights marking the song’s heaviest sections. The song’s multiple guitar solos whipped the audience into a frenzy of appreciation, with many in the crowd simply in awe of the performance that they were witnessing. The band couldn’t have ended the evening on a higher note.
Hopefully, Radiohead will not wait another fourteen years before playing in New Orleans again. No city so deeply rooted in music should have to endure such a long layoff from one of the world’s greatest bands. Radiohead continues their world tour tomorrow evening with a performance in Kansas City.