Radiohead 8-24-03

Demiurge

It was a very good show...

Setlist:

[1.] The Gloaming
[2.] 2+2=5
[3.] Sit Down. Stand Up.
[4.] Where I End and You Begin
[5.] Airbag
[6.] Bullet Proof.. I Wish I Was
[7.] Knives Out
[8.] Climbing Up The Walls
[9.] Talk Show Host
[10.] Sail To The Moon
[11.] Wolf at the Door
[12.] Idioteque
[13.] Go To Sleep
[14.] I Might Be Wrong
[15.] Paranoid Android
[16.] No Surprises
[17.] There There
first encore:
[18.] Pyramid Song
[19.] Myxomatosis
[20.] Just
[21.] How To Disappear Completely
second encore:
[22.] National Anthem
[23.] Hunting Bears
[24.] After the Goldrush
[25.] Everything In Its Right Place


I don't know what to say in a review, because in all honesty I'm not a huge Radiohead fan. My only knowledge of the depths of their music comes from fiance, but even then I'm not thouroughly knowledgeable.

There are a few songs that I really like by them and they sounded awesome. In fact, the whole show sounded great. The band seemed full of energy (just like the Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks). I'd say the crowd was decent, but funny....

Lots of weirdos around there trying to look different than the next guy or girl, but all lookin' pretty much the same. Sorry, but I find humor in that kind of stuff.

Anyhow...there were a few things that annoyed me.

1 - I was sick of Thom talking about 'Clear Channel'. He kept whining about them....even though it was a Clear Channel venue....yet he's still playing the gig...hmm...oddly hypocritical. I don't know if that was his attempt at being 'punk' or what, but I couldn't help but shake my head and chuckle.

2 - 'Hail To The Theif'....is that autobiographical? They charge $30-40 for one T-Shirt. $10 for a cheap little poster....ect. Tickets weren't cheap either.

I find it hypocritical. Guys like that whine about our President and the 'rich' yet he IS rich.

I'm a free market man, and I think if Radiohead wants to charge $500 for a shirt they should be able to, but your politics should match the way you live your life. Anyone who listens to what you have to say as gospel when you're that much of a hypocrite is a total idiot.

I just don't know why they get so much cred. and applause for their 'stances'.

Sorry for that rant, but it was necessary.

These guys are great musicians, I'd just like and respect them more if they'd stick to what they are good at.

Dave

dcarlson

I'm still waiting on the rescheduling of my postponed show.

After the Goldrush? As in Neil Young's After the Goldrush?

1. What does Clear Channel mean?

2. Have ever gone to a big show and the cost of a T-shirt was different? I know every show I go to everything is expensive, from the water and beer to the T-shirts and posters. Radiohead isn't out to gouge their fans. They're out to make music and play music for those who'll like to hear it. If they were out to make money they would have come out with a radio friendly Coldplay type album and market it as such. They do what they love doing, making music. They got rich in the process, that doesn't make them hypocrites. If they were just eaking out a living with music, I'm sure they would still be making music. It's the age old theory that if a band makes it, they've sold out. I don't believe that unless they're all over every award show and MTV and billboard and so on publicizing. That's selling out.

I know Radiohead and you've got them wrong. Political, yes. Money hungry, no.

I'm glad you liked the show. When I last saw them, they were incredible.

Ya, I agree, a lot of weird looking nerds wanting to look different and end up looking the same. I think it's hilarious too.

Did it seam like everyone was in awe at what was taking place? Just staring, bobing and enjoying the show.

Derick.

Demiurge

Yes, Neil Young Cover.

1. Clear Channel owns a lot of Radiostations, Billboards, Venues, ect. It's the belief that this 'conglomorate' controls what we hear. Even though I've never heard someone explain how a company that good could be profitable if we were hearing stuff we didn't like.

It's sad, but the music we get on the radio is the fault of them mainstream, not you and I.

'Indie' stations have been tried and failed. It's rare to find a profitable market for it.

2. I know that T-Shirts are expensive. I wasn't bitching about the cost. I was bitching about the band that takes stances against rich people and claims they are profiting on the backs of the poor...yet they make MILLIONS off of Concerts, and Merchandise that appeal to kids and young adults. I didn't see anyone over 25 at the show.

So they are hypocrites in that regards. There is nothing wrong with making a lot of money and making good music, but the bulk of your popularity shouldn't be coming from your hypocritical political stances.

Bitching about something then doing the same thing is hypocritical. That was my point. I'd rather hear their music, not their backwards politics.

If they were true to what they stood for their concerts would be dirt cheap and even a poor shmoe could buy their t-shirts. Thats what I'm talking about.

My fiance knows Radiohead, and I've hit the nail on the head here. This is almost as bad as 'Rage Against The Machine' on the hypocrisy level.

Blah, sorry to go off on that, but I know I've got a strong point.

I don't mind bands being political, but they should be consistent.

*******************

On lighter note....Everyone was having a good time. Odd smells in the air ...people going crazy, thom going crazy. People laughing, yelling, and having a blast. It was indeed a good time.

dcarlson

As for ticket prices. You can't play a big venue and have cheap prices. You also can't get to your fanbase playing small clubs on the cheap. That's where the high ticket prices come from. I got Pearl Jam tickets through their fanclub and paid $70CDN, Radiohead was the same price. That's the price of the venue.

There's more than just the band when it comes to money. There's the managers, publicists, record companies, yadada. The band is unfortunately backed by big business. It's not the band's fault. **** the drummer, Phil, still volunteers for a help phone line. He's been doing it since he was in college way before Radiohead hit big. He ran in a marathon for charity this year and raised a buttload of money for a good cause.

rich people and claims they are profiting on the backs of the poor...yet they make MILLIONS off of Concerts, and Merchandise that appeal to kids and young adults. I didn't see anyone over 25 at the show.

I'm 27, they appeal to a certain age group, they're not targeting a market.

but the bulk of your popularity shouldn't be coming from your hypocritical political stances.

Radiohead is hard band to get into musically, I have many friends who can't stand them. The people who like em, like em for the music. I know I do. they could be singing about a dog taking a dump on the sidewalk for all I care. It's great music. I just happen to agree with their political views.

It's a fact that when you start selling albums and selling out concerts you're going to make a lot of money and the Record Companies will make even more money. If money was their motivation they'd still be making albums like The Bends, radio friendly britt pop. They're not.

Demiurge

Originally posted by dcarlson
As for ticket prices. You can't play a big venue and have cheap prices. You also can't get to your fanbase playing small clubs on the cheap. That's where the high ticket prices come from. I got Pearl Jam tickets through their fanclub and paid $70CDN, Radiohead was the same price. That's the price of the venue.

I know this, but he's whining about the owners of the venue. It's hypocritical to play a large venue owned by the people you hate just so you can do a show.

They have other options. Play an open field and hire security, get permits, ect. It's possible. They don't need to play giant Clear Channel venues. Thats my point.

They band is operating at a huge profit, so hight ticket prices aren't directly linked to venue fees and payrole.

My point is that in instances like that he needs to shut his mouth if what he's saying isn't justified by his actions.

I find that actions speak louder than words.


I know there are exceptions. They are playing to a demographic. Intended or not.

My point still stands tho. Thats one of the things they complain about. Millionaires trying to appeal to lower to middle class with $30 T-Shirts and $10 Posters is funny to me.

I don't want to hear about the rich when they're doing the same thing captialistic America does. Radiohead is doing a capitalistic thing, and thats GREAT, but please don't complain.

As far as music.

Thats why I like them. Thats why I went to see them. Despite the fact I knew I'd be annoyed by the above things I went anyways. They are that good, and for that they should be respected.

I just can't give them any credibility outside of the world of music, and into the world of politics. No matter what my political views may be.

Demiurge

BTW

I appreciate you being level headed about this. We're from 2 totally different lines of thought in a lot of ways. It's refreshing to have the person you're disagreeing with keep a cool head.

It makes me keep my cool too.

I was losing faith in this board in that regard and worried that any thread about semi-serious issues was a no-no.

dcarlson

My point still stands tho. Thats one of the things they complain about. Millionaires trying to appeal to lower to middle class with $30 T-Shirts and $10 Posters is funny to me.

Somehow, I don't think Thom came out and said "Hey, let's charge an arm and leg for T-shirts and make a ton of money." Someone else is responsible for setting the price on the merchandise and it's always expensive regardless of the band.

They're not targeting a market, I don't know how you can think that. It's like you're saying they're only making music to make money. That's just not right, you need to give them a little more credit than that.

Do you remember when Pearl Jam fought ticketmaster and held a tour on their own? They could only play second rate venues and it cost a fortune. They lost money touring that way and they didn't get to all of the fans they wanted to. They had to go back to Ticketmaster to tour.

After the OK Computer tour Radiohead almost broke up because of all the marketing hype and stress they were under. They haven't been the same since. Have you checked out their DVD Meeting People is Easy? It says a lot about the band.

My point is there is a lot of money to be made by a tour and it's not all made by the band. There are other people behind the scenes making just as much money.

dcarlson

Originally posted by Demiurge
BTW

I appreciate you being level headed about this. We're from 2 totally different lines of thought in a lot of ways. It's refreshing to have the person you're disagreeing with keep a cool head.

It makes me keep my cool too.

I was losing faith in this board in that regard and worried that any thread about semi-serious issues was a no-no.

Whoops, I missed this post.

I try to be as open minded as I can be with arguments/debates. It's not too often I let stuff get to me unless it's personal.

Demiurge

Yeah, I have the Radiohead DVD.

The problem with Radiohead is they have chosen to operate their band like a business, like most bands who want to make some scratch of their own do.

I just don't like the double standard they apply to corporations like Clear Channel.

If their politics were meant to be echoed as the gospel a lot of their fans take it at they wouldn't be operating at the profit they are. They'd be satisfied with paying everyone their keep and having people see their shows for as cheap as possible.

Radiohead is the catalyst that everyone feeds off of. They have the power to control what things cost based on what they want to give and what they want to keep for themselves. Without the band nothing else happens.

If Radiohead wanted to play at a large park in Anytown, USA...they could. They could do a lot more for their lives to be aligned with their mouths.

dcarlson

Well, what can I say? :rolleyes:

All bands that sell a lot of records become a business of some sort. The trick is to keep the business separate from the music and I think Radiohead does a good job doing so. I would much rather spend a little extra to see them in a venue with good acoustics rather than a field in Anytown U.S.A. I saw them in a field, it was good but I can't wait to see them in a more intimate venue. I'm going to see them at Molson Amphitheatre which has a capacity of 16,000. Not very big. If they wanted to cash in on the concert they would have booked the Skydome like the Stones and Metallica have done in the past. Concerts cost money.

Demiurge

Originally posted by dcarlson
Concerts cost money.

Nobody is losing any money.