Radiohead

September 13th, 2009

Credit for this photo goes to robseye67.

I’ve been trying to wrap up and finish that post for last couple of weeks; but there has always been a weird lack of words to describe what happened on 25th August this year. Not really happy with that post, but well… at least it exists.

My fascination with Radiohead began at the end of 2007, when they released In Rainbows – I was already into computers a lot, so releasing an album in the way they did couldn’t pass through me unnoticed. As with everything they did, those sounds didn’t hit me after first listening. Altough I remember as today how I loved Jigsaw Falling Into Place and as this one was followed by others, just as epic songs.

Then I moved on with other albums – I still find every one of them different in style, but best pieces of music ever created. Ever since that I dreamt about seeing them someday within borders of Poland. When I woke up one day during April and read the news, a massive WTF sign showed up above my head while reading some rumors about Radiohead performing in Poland. It was like Christmas, but way better. So much organizations tried to get them on their festivals – with no results. Then Poznan tried to get them on during Poznan for Earth festival – and since the band loves ecology and tries to make the world better – they agreed to come. Then life was mostly just about counting days to 25th August 2009.

My arrival to Poznan contained over 4 hours in a train fullfilled with Radiohead fans. MANY of them (which is why we were standing all the way). But who’d give a crap about details like that with perspective of seeing those geniuses later the day? We got there around 2PM, met with people and moved on to Cytadela Park, when all crazy stuff was about to happen.
Of course, before entering the concert area, we spent some time walking around Poznan, which seemed like a pretty cool city – and most importantly, the only one that managed to get us Radiohead. Gates were about to open around 4PM, so about thirty minutes before that we joined the line. Plenty of people just as psyched as we! Anyway, there was a little delay and gates opened almost an hour later than planed. What we saw later was hundreds of people running towards the stage to get some good places (the area was divided into three zones with different prices, though). So, after visiting Merchandise with fucking high prices of awesome tees and buying something to drink we moved to first zone and got surprisingly cool places – about 20 meters from stage.

Moderat

First of all: they weren’t welcomed very warmly – most of Radiohead fans was there to listen older pieces like Creep or Paranoid Android, in spite of Radiohead’s pretty electronic present.

I loved Moderat – these tunes fitted great as a starter. Three guys with some hardware on stage, with rare appareance of guitar and vocal (damn good, though!) with visualisations behind them. About that – effect could have been great, if not sun shining on us – it was just too early to make good impression. Also: guy who was handling them was kinda amateur – come on, visibility of cursor for few seconds while changing pictures? Anyway, it was so worth to get their album before the show – good to know their tunes!
So, an hour passed. They got some applause and went off. That would be it.

Although I’d love to see them again someday! Preferably in some club. Like that.

Radiohead

It got dark, all useful stuff got set up, and stage began to look incredible. All those sticks hanging from the top looked just amazing, as always during In Rainbows tour. Crowd was waiting – clapping, screaming… waiting. When lights went out – craziness began, intro music got played, and… wow. Magical experience. Radiohead came out.

Moment when first sounds of 15 Step sounded was one of the best in my entire life – seriously, after waiting years to hear it, imagining its performance, what I heard was so above my expectations. Trippy song, fullfilled with Thom’s dance, crowd trying to stay up to him – totally rocked.

Then, as usually, went There There with strong ending, then Weird Fishes and so it went on, making 11 of my biggest wishes true… Every song, hell, every second of this performance was amazing.
Highlights? Well, every song had something special inside, but what stuck into my memory especially was rain down period in Paranoid Android, Gloaming, Idioteque, You And Whose Army with crazy Thom’s eye, Reckoner and obviously Creep.

Also, I’d like to thank all the people I met that day – especially Jola with friends, Wojtek and others.

I frankly can’t imagine not seeing this band again someday and experiencing all that all over again. Hopefully in Poland.