Radiohead Shines at Coachella 2012

Prior to this weekend, I had been fortunate enough to attend three Coachellas – 2007, 2010, and 2011. Over those years I saw amazing performances from artists like Rage Against the Machine, The xx, Kanye West, Amy Winehouse, Arcade Fire, Jay-Z, Vampire Weekend, Animal Collective, Mumford & Sons, and more. As something of a seasoned veteran, there are certain things that I’ve come to expect from the annual music festival held in Indio, CA: fantastic music, hipsters everywhere, copious amounts of marijuana, overpriced food and water, and, naturally, unbearable heat.

Radiohead's Thom Yorke at Coachella. | Photo courtesy of AP.

But Mother Nature threw a bit of a curveball on Friday, the festival’s opening day. “Cold” and “Coachella” are not exactly words that are uttered in the same sentence; this is the high desert, after all. Still, Friday saw the festival’s grounds drenched with rain, prompting some to flee to their camping ground for warmer clothes and others to simply abandon the day entirely. Fortunately, I missed the horrible weather due to my long travel day on Friday.

Saturday saw the temperature jump to the 80s – things were getting back to normal. For me, Saturday was all about Radiohead, a band I have long adored but had never seen before. They were firmly occupying the top spot on my “Bands to See Before I Die” list. With their headlining set at 11pm, I had significant time to check out some other bands before migrating to the main stage and holding my place for approximately 5 hours.

One of the first acts I saw was Merrill Garbus’s band tUnE-yArDs, who have emerged as one of the most truly unique and creative bands in recent memory. With all four band members sporting yellow tribal face paint and Garbus wearing massive hooped shoulder bands, the group made quite an appearance. Over the next 50 minutes, Garbus created her own one-woman rhythm section with a very clever looping technique. Fantastic versions of “Powa,” “Gangsta,” and the band’s biggest hit, “Bizness,” made it hard to see the group exit. Definitely one of the better and more unique performances I’ve seen a while.

With the time approaching 5:30pm, it was time to move toward the main stage, get as far forward as possible, and hold on for the next five and a half hours for Radiohead. No big deal. I had this. My time waiting allowed me to enjoy decent sets from Noel Gallagher’s HighFlying Birds and The Shins. Bon Iver followed with a truly stunning performance. On a stage that wouldn’t have been out of place on MTV Unplugged – individual turquoise lanterns dotted the stage and two weathered beige curtains hung from the rafters – Justin Vernon and his nine-piece backing band created a sound many did not likely anticipate from Vernon’s two albums. In short, they were heavy. Bon Iver were loud, raucous, and full of energy – and it was absolutely brilliant.

Ah, finally! At about 11:1opm, Thom Yorke, the Greenwoods, Ed O’Brien, Phil Selway, and second touring drummer Clive Dreamer (borrowed from Portishead) bounded onstage – Radiohead were here. The entire festival seemed to be watching at the main stage; it was clear just how big of a deal this band has become.

Over nearly two hours, the band mesmerized their audience. Mixing the electronic-dance music they’ve favored on recent albums and the more guitar-driven music of their 90s output, Radiohead showed with ease why they deserve consideration as one of the greatest bands ever.

2007 album In Rainbows received lots of play, as brilliant versions of “15 Step,” “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi,” “Bodysnatchers,” “Jigsaw Falling Into Place,” and “Reckoner” thrilled the massive crowd. Impassioned sing-alongs came as the group ran through fan-favorites “Karma Police” and “Lotus Flower.”

Two encores, a few surprisingly good jokes from Thom Yorke, and 20 songs later, they were gone and the lights had come on. Playing songs as varied as “Myxomatosis” and newbie “Staircase,” it was an eclectic set and one not to be forgotten in any hurry.

Watch Radiohead’s entire Coachella set here.

About Ross Ballantyne

Ross- CAS '15 - is currently a political science major. Originally from Scotland, he has lived in the U.S. since the tender age of 3 1/2. Ross' interests, aside from politics, include The Smiths, soccer, French literature, travel, classic British films, and existentialism.

View all posts by Ross Ballantyne →

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