There are two schools of though to Radiohead’ Glastonbury headline slot last night.
One, that of the biggest fans, is that it was practically perfect. Filled with their favourite songs, it was uncompromising to the situation, showcasing a band that have followed their own plan in the 20 years since the release of ‘OK Computer’, always turning left when the world expected them to go right. It was nothing other than a triumph.
The second is more likely to belong to the more casual attendee. Those who watched the first 16 songs of the set and, while enjoying a clearly talented band at the top of their game – occasionally bringing out a song from their most storied album or one of their later singles – were expecting more of those gigantic, era defining anthems that run through the core of their first few albums.
At the end of the day, both camps won, as the Oxford five piece brought home their set with a slew of stone cold classics. From main set closer ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’, the band embarked on a run that included ‘No Surprises’, ‘Paranoid Android’, ‘Fake Plastic Trees’, ‘Creep’ and ‘Karma Police’. It would be a mistake to call it back weighted, but equally there’s no denying it was a crowd pleasing move.
If you missed it, Radiohead’s full Glastonbury headline set is streaming online. You can check it out on the BBC iPlayer here, or watch it in full below.
One, that of the biggest fans, is that it was practically perfect. Filled with their favourite songs, it was uncompromising to the situation, showcasing a band that have followed their own plan in the 20 years since the release of ‘OK Computer’, always turning left when the world expected them to go right. It was nothing other than a triumph.
The second is more likely to belong to the more casual attendee. Those who watched the first 16 songs of the set and, while enjoying a clearly talented band at the top of their game – occasionally bringing out a song from their most storied album or one of their later singles – were expecting more of those gigantic, era defining anthems that run through the core of their first few albums.
At the end of the day, both camps won, as the Oxford five piece brought home their set with a slew of stone cold classics. From main set closer ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’, the band embarked on a run that included ‘No Surprises’, ‘Paranoid Android’, ‘Fake Plastic Trees’, ‘Creep’ and ‘Karma Police’. It would be a mistake to call it back weighted, but equally there’s no denying it was a crowd pleasing move.
If you missed it, Radiohead’s full Glastonbury headline set is streaming online. You can check it out on the BBC iPlayer here, or watch it in full below.
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