Radiohead Live = Ethereal Experience

So I'm the biggest Radiohead fan in these parts...at least that's what I tell meself. When they finally decided to go on tour again, I was stoked. I just knew that NYC had to be a stop on the tour. Would it be The Garden, like in 2006? McCarren Park Pool? Hammerstein? No, too small (although did see Modest Mouse, and they were solid). Oh no...they play in Jersey. Yes, Jersey, where apparently only the strong survive. All jokes aside, the venue was actually pretty sick. Liberty State Park was just a 25-minute ferry ride away from Manhattan, which allowed for nice views of the NYC waterfalls and Lady Liberty's chiseled backside. Waiting for the ride back to Manhattan after the concert, though, was reminiscent of that scene out of War of the Worlds where everyone is freaking out trying to get on the boat while the aliens are systematically exterminating people.

The lineup was good, but not over the top (not near as sick as the upcoming Outside Lands in SF). Underworld was nostalgic...took me right back to the roll-to-credits scene of Trainspotting as Ewan McGreggor walks across the bridge babbling about life with
'Born Slippy' gaining speed in the background. The New Pornographers were decent. Girl Talk rocked the shit. But Radiohead....what can I say? I haven't been to a ton of concerts in my life, but I've been to enough to appreciate when a band is so on their game that everyone in the crowd is just speechless.





Here is a link to a crappy vid I took with my digital camera. They're playing Paranod Android. Definitely a bunch of much better vids out there with less distortion.

If you have not seen Radiohead in concert, I highly recommend it. Even if you're not a fan. You will become one after you see them.

Next up on the Summer '08 Concert Series: Sigur Ros in September.