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I feel too old for festivals.

But then I'm too big a Radiohead fan, and not without complaining I bought a ticket for Lollapallooza Berlin, because I was not able to get any to see them in London. I'm from Brazil and I've just moved to London. I never thought that being here actually made it harder for you to get into concerts.

And then after living for about 6 months in what for my standards is absolutely freezing weather, I was craving the heat of the continent. And Berlin did not disappoint me. This was my second time there and this time I wanted a light-hearted visit, not war museums and educational Wall tours. So we stayed in a residential neighborhood, not the touristy areas, full of cafes and bars. It was hot and sunny. There was music in the air. We felt like if we wandered enough we would reach Copacabana beach. What a good vibe.

And then we went to see FC Union Berlin play football on Saturday, in a 4x0 match against the visiting team. Still not over the World Cup 7x1 Brazil fiasco, but it felt great to be in a stadium where people love football just that much. What a cool match. What great fans both teams had.

We spent the rest of the day wandering the town, tasting its tastes and walking its walks. It was love at second sight.

On Sunday, we ate some dust at the beautiful Treptower park to arrive at the main stage of Lolla, where we enjoyed the sight of young people dancing to some interesting new music throughout the afternoon. I was still feeling a little bit misplaced, but not for too long.

Festival goers in Germany are much more laid back then Radiohead die-hard fans in Brazil, so we were able to find a spot stuck to the rail to watch the show. Then more people my age started to pop up, some of them bringing their kids. When I saw the band in Sao Paulo back in 2009, I wasn't able to see much of what was going on at the stage, so to see Jonny, Tom and Ed all aligned in front of me was really a present from the gods. The music as I felt on my first time sounds even more beautiful live. I could go to this concert every night of my life.

Then Thom asked "how is your weekend?", it felt like a personal message, a wake-up call.

I was dragged all the way to Berlin, but in the end it was such a magic weekend.

You’re right, Thom. I have to get out more. I’m not that old. Thank you.

Hello,

I am searching for 2 tickets to Radiohead concert in Berlin in September.

Please contact me if you have something to offer: petrulytee@gmail.com, fb: Egle Petrulyte

Thanks in advance ;)

Egle

Hi,

would like to share my experience from todays concert in Berlin

What they did at the soundcheck...in chronological order (I was there from 3pm, so I missed something, I guess)
- Phil did solo drumming of Super Collider
- they jammed a Rollin Stones song (can't find which one...sorry...hope I can add it later)
- Where I End and You Begin (1. first half of the song, 2. full song, 3. last part of the song)
- Super Collider (fullband 2 times)
- Bangers n Mash (1. jam, 2nd and 3rd complete song)
- Drumbeat (couldn't figure out if it was something actually or just a rhythm)
- Thom vocals (maybe teasing something...) + EIIRP (2 times)
- some guitar from Ed
- piano and organ - soundcheck
- a tease on organ which sounds exactly like the first notes in the Burn the Witch teaser from 2006 (right before Thom says "OK, Burn the witch will one day....")

I couldn't hear much vocals (too silent) but Thom actually sang on EIIRP and SC.

Some words on SuperCollider, for whom it may concern....
It is different, as the piano isn't there anymore (or was too silent), but the pianomelody was played by a guitar instead (Jonny maybe). Additionally some effectstuff had been added (Ed ?). Drumming is rhythmwise exactly like the already known pianoversion of Super Collider. In the end it still sounds well underdeveloped ("some are sketchy....some of them are very sketchy..." wink.gif ) so I can understand that they don't play this version live, but it sounds definately promising..... biggrin.gif

Some words on Thom vocals (maybe teasing), he did the same thing twice in soundcheck and he did it in the actual set before EIIRP also, so it could be a hint for something (otherwise he'd done something different.....or is just teasing us wink.gif )

Some words on a tease on organ...
well, I heard the teaser on Wons site dozens of times so I know exactly every note of it, so I immediately recognized the notes from the tease.....I don't think it's BTW as the no chords had been played after that, only the first notes of the first BTW-tease....maybe it's nothing... wink.gif



Edit: Honky Tonk Woman from Rolling Stones (if I found the right name of the song)
I first though I missed their soundcheck when I heard this cover but waited until they played WIEAYB smile.gif )


My concert review:

I was pretty surprised seeing Modeselektor as support (hadn't informed myself with who plays their support actually), who played a remix of Skip Divided and two Björk remixes. Right before the latter Björk remix, Thom came up from backstage to watch 'em play live from side of stage (hidden behind equipment, but well....we know him too good so he cannot hide tongue.gif wink.gif )


The actual concert was great, the band was in such a great mood, they all (except Phil, for obvious reasons)were jumping over the stage and grinning and smiling and playing with the audience (never had seen sucha performance from them, beside From The Basement ^^ )

They started with 15th Step where the crowd finally managed the "YEAH !" part smile.gif
After the next song Airbag it started to rain, which Thom replied to with "Sorry for the rain, but it is a Radiohead concert... ^^"
They played nearly all IR, just missing Faust Arp, and also played Bangers'n'Mash, where some effect from Jonny still made some sound and Thom negging into Jonnys direction keeping his drumsticks in the air like waiting to finally start the song wink.gif

Other songs they played included My Iron Lung (Thom mentioned that the last time they where here (meaning 9/11), they played it), Paranoid Android, No Surprises, National Anthem (the radio excerpt telling something (translated) like "in summer months, the audience is bigger than else", Everything in it's right place, Idioteque, Dollars and Cents, You And Whose Army (grinning into the crowd who responded with loud cheering), Cymbal Rush (two false starts, as Thoms earplugs were slipping out of his ears and he made the timing wrong telling someone shouting from the audience to come up and doing it themselves wink.gif ) and finally Street Spirit.

As I said before, the band was in a great mood, which made No Surprises and My Iron Lung a little bit pointless, as obviously the band isn't "depressed" at all to play those old songs from a more personally difficult era....so they lacked a little because of that....on the other hand...have you ever seen Ed and Colin jumping around on stage because they f**ing can't keep still smile.gif

And Jonnys guitarplaying brilliant and energetic as always...

It was such a positived energised concert and I really enjoyed every minute of it smile.gif


Oh...and for all the singing fans.....please learn the lyrics and the songs first before singing, as the climax of a song mostly comes AFTER the 2nd Verse.....just a suggestion wink.gif


I love that concert....I love that band.....and hope I can do for ever and ever smile.gif

Cheers

Edit: some mistakes corrected (was in WOHOOO-mode yesterday and forgot some of my english classes wink.gif )

Edit: after 12 years, I can finally add, that it's Honky Tonk Woman, what they played in soundcheck as Stones-song.