First, let me tell you a little story. Once upon a time, way back in 1997, I was a sophomore in high school -- a very ordinary high school, in a very ordinary Northern California college town. I wasn’t your ordinary high school student, though – I was one of the “smart kids,” doomed to life as a back-up prom date and a wallflower amidst the jocks and the preps. Perhaps as a result, I was yet another clicheic angsty teenager. I played the part well, too – hung out with the other smart outsider kids, listened to my angry angsty metal music (which my dad lovingly called “bowling ball in the dryer music”) – I wanted to shake up their preconceived ideas about me, and perhaps I tried a bit too hard. And then, one day, something wonderful happened.One of my older friends (a senior! woo!) gave me a tape that he had made for me. He told me it was really great stuff – that it would change everything. I, in my infinite wisdom, told him “yeah sure whatever” and put it in my bag. I did not listen to it on the way home from school that day. Nor did I listen to it at my house. In fact, it sat at the bottom of my bag for some days, until it happened to flop onto my bed while I was retrieving a book to do my homework. It occurred to me, then, that I could listen to this tape whilst doing my homework, and I grabbed my notebook and popped the cassette into my boombox. (Yes, we still had those. It scares me to admit it.)I don’t really remember what I felt upon hearing the opening chords of the first song on the tape. I don’t really even remember my reaction to hearing the first song – I think I had drowned it out, in my focus on studies. And then, a funny thing happened. I heard the opening chords to a song called Paranoid Android. I dropped my pen. I was transfixed. I remember hearing this strange falsetto voice telling me “Please could you stop the noise? I’m trying to get some rest from all the unborn chicken voices in my head” and I couldn’t breathe. By the time I got to Let Down, I was in awe. By the time I heard No Surprises, I was changed, somehow. By the time The Tourist finished, I knew that something had begun – something big, and lifelong.I’m not sure if I completed my assignments that night. But I am sure that I fell in love. It was as though something had clicked into place in my mind, and somehow I realised something with which I had been struggling for years: there were other people who felt just as broken as me. More than that, I learnt that it was ok to be broken. It was, in fact, beautiful, as done by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and the lads of Radiohead.Fast forward 10 years, and go to Tokyo, Japan, in October 2007. I was a girl isolated in an unfamiliar country, having gone there on my own, to teach English. For as much as I loved my new country, I missed many things – I missed the people I love, the familiar places and smells and sounds of a country I’d always known. I missed that sense of belonging. And then I saw the news on Radiohead’s website on that October afternoon: “Hello everyone. Well, the new album is finished, and it’s coming out in 10 days; We’ve called it In Rainbows. Love from us all. Jonny.” I remember the feeling that I had then – the wave of nostalgia that swept over me when I realised that, no matter what, just when I needed them, Radiohead had always been there for me, like a soft warm blanket and a cuppa on a foggy morning. I decided then and there that, no matter what, I would finally get a chance to see them live this tour, no matter what. I stayed up all night on that fateful night in April to get a chance at my tickets (and got a couple of them). I scoured the internet to get better seats, so I could be as close as I could to these brilliant musicians. I was certain it would all be worth it. I was not disappointed.Sunday, 24 August 2008, I saw my first Radiohead show at the Hollywood Bowl. It was everything I could have expected it to be, and more. First, it was wonderful because I went with my dear friend, Sara, who, since I moved to LA, has been one of the small family I’ve been lucky enough to build for myself. Also, it was awesome when they played Lucky, which I then dedicated to Sara, for obvious reasons!! Second, it was wonderful because I had been waiting for months and months, watching every setlist of the tour, anticipating what songs we might get, hoping for my myriad favourites. Again, I was not disappointed. In spite of our nosebleed seats, that night in August, I realised a dream I’d had for more than 10 years: I was there, seeing Radiohead. They were playing a set for me (and 10,000 other people!). I was there, and I was not disappointed. Here is our setlist:15 StepThere ThereMorning BellAll I NeedPyramid SongNudeWeird Fishes/ArpeggiThe GloamingThe National AnthemA Wolf At The DoorFaust ARPExit Music (for a film)Jigsaw Falling Into PlaceIdiotequeClimbing Up the WallsBodysnatchersHow to Disappear Completely----VideotapeParanoid AndroidDollars & CentsStreet Spirit (Fade Out)Reckoner----House of CardsLuckyEverything In Its Right PlaceFor a first setlist, this one was perfect – all the big classics, a few old favourites, several surprises, and a whole lot of brilliance – even from the nosebleed seats. Since I could sit here and gush about every single song, I’ll just pick my top 7 highlights (so you don’t all die of boredom):7. Wolf at the Door – the lyrics are so fun to sing along with, and something about 10,000 people singing “FLAN IN THE FACE FLAN IN THE FACE” was ridiculously fun6. Climbing Up the Walls – this song has always been the darkest Radiohead song in my opinion, and it’s even creepier and more haunting live – and Coz gets to shine with his insane bass, which literally shakes the seats -- even in the nosebleeds5. Exit Music – I love Radiohead when they are atmospheric, and nothing is more atmospheric than starting with just Thom on an acoustic guitar and building into Coz’ fuzzy bass and Ed and Jonny’s distorted riffs. Simply breathtaking.4. Reckoner – this is the crux of In Rainbows, and possibly one of my new favourite songs – and it sounds remarkable live. Thom’s improvisation on the “ooos” at the end was loooovely.3. Street Spirit – this is my second favourite Radiohead song, and I think the fact that Thom stopped in the middle and said “Oh fuck! Bollocks! …that’s English, for you who don’t know” only endeared it further… and they finished the song perfectly. Jonny played brilliantly, and Ed's backup vox were lovely -- really, really lovely. Thom sounded, as on all the songs they performed, absolutely flawless. He is truly amazing.2. Paranoid Android – the first time I saw the first Radiohead song I fell in love with, and it was sheer brilliance. Jonny couldn’t have been better, and they rocked the place to bits.1. How to Disappear Completely – this has been my favourite Radiohead song for 8 years now, and it is even more haunting, stripped, and vulnerable live. Thom’s voice was flawless, Jonny’s ondes martenot was spot on and brilliant, and Ed provided the atmosphere.All in all, I could not have asked for a more amazing first Radiohead concert. Their musicianship is amazing -- they sound even better live than they do on their records, and that is very very difficult to do, especially on tour, night after night. The truth of the matter is that they are simply that good. It was well worth the 11 year wait, and I didn’t believe that the band could top this setlist for Night 2.I was wrong.
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