In the round with Radiohead

Photos by Ana Bhardwaj

Words by Ana Bhardwaj

Radiohead brought their long-awaited comeback to London’s O2 Arena for four nights between November 21 and 25. It’s been 10 years since we received any new material and 99 months (an interesting way of phrasing time now) since their last live performances. The show was nothing short of musical mastery, with the band seeming more cohesive than I anticipated after a long break, reminding me just why they are the best at what they do.

Anticipation was high since the band announced the limited run of shows in September, and lucky fans in Italy and Spain got to experience the ever-changing setlist before us, with videos and posts taking over social media about what songs were played for the first time in a long time. Sources stated they had rehearsed over 65 songs for the tour, and the band played through an impressive range of their already lengthy discography, including iconic albums like Ok Computer and Hail to the Thief.

The night began bang on time with ‘Planet Telex’ (after the highly anticipated walk-through the crowd to get to the impressive stage set up in the middle of the arena). Some of my ultimate favourite songs were played, including ‘Idioteque’, ‘Weird Fishes/Arpeggi’ and ‘All I Need’. The band went straight from song to song, with Thom thanking the crowd on occasion and Colin and Jonny Greenwood showing their appreciation between playing. The stage and lighting felt like an immersive art piece, with beautifully visceral projections on screens that stunned the audience. 

Obviously, the closing song had to be a crowd pleaser: ‘Karma Police’, which had the entire arena standing and singing along to Thom’s profound lyrics and powerful vocals. A few tears were shed on my part that night, especially as this wasn’t something I thought I’d ever get to experience. Whilst we’re all unclear on what the band’s future is (here’s to hoping for a Glastonbury 2027 headline slot after Emily Eavis was in attendance), this short run of tour dates was just what we needed to know that the spirit of such an iconic band is still alive.