Fitter, Happier, More Dancier

I saw Radiohead last Saturday in Manchester at the MEN. I have seen Radiohead live an awesome number of times (5) which makes them the band I have spent the most money on. Yay for them! They are my favourite band and every time I see them, I have the most amazing night. However it had been a couple of years since I last saw them so I was worried that my ever-expanding cynicism would interfere with my enjoyment of the evening.

I had experienced waves of excitement in the weeks building up to the gig, but this had been quickly replaced by my fun safety net: low expectations. I always go into big events with low expectations because the dream, the idea of the event, is often perfect and I don’t want the real thing to feel like a disappointment because of my overambitious mind. Ideas, dreams, hopes are great but sometimes over-expectation of events and what to expect from people or performers can lead to an empty feeling. I did not want that from this Radiohead show, so I went in with low hopes.

When I found my seat, up and behind the gods, I remember thinking that I was too far back. I was about 8 rows from being the furthest available seat away from the stage. I wanted to be standing at the front, in a dancing sweaty mess of people, bopping to the geniuses in front of me. Live music is a great shared experience that you can have with thousands of people around you. It is social bonding between you and your fellow man, woman, or in this case, Radiohead groupie. But being restricted from this standing pit of freedom, and being placed in the confinement of a chair, miles back, was going to be torture.

My immediate idea was to run down and jump the barrier to get into the standing arena when the lights went down and the music started. But then the lights dimmed, the support act Caribou entered and played three engrossing songs that got me moving a bit in my seat. The excitement was building and half an hour after Caribou finished, Radiohead entered the stage.

Even from my seat at the top of Zeus’ mountain, I felt the immense roar of excitement rushing through everyone’s bodies. Tonight was going to be an adrenaline pumped, serotonin fuelled, Radiohead shaped explosion of brilliance.

The first song sent shivers down my spine and the hair was standing up on the back of my neck. I was no longer confined in my chair, I was free. I danced chaotically and as wild as my out of rhythm Jewthiest body could muster. It was the purest, unadulterated, un-inebriated feeling a person could get. The MEN was mine and everyone else’s chapel for the evening.

Radiohead are to music what orgasms are to sex. They are the peak, the pinnacle, the climax. The layers unfold in my ears in sweet, original, and surprising ways. I am encapsulated by the sound. Thom’s singing voice is angelic with sinister lyrics and upbeat drums. This is pure joy. I am at peace with myself and the world when I listen. Really listen. I feel happiness, and I wish everyone had this relationship to music, and especially to Radiohead. Why are we embarrassed to talk about moments like this? It is normal to talk about how much fun you have on a boozed up night out but as soon as it’s from something so abstract as music, people get embarrassed. Well, not me. Not today...

Anyway, back to the gig. Their new “King of Limbs” songs and other internet releases were much better than the recorded versions. The songs came alive as Thom raved out to them. The beats were fast and the music had a much dancier feel to it than other times I’ve seen them. What a night!

A top top gig. I recorded a few songs and below is my favourite video - not a dancey song but I love it! You can also watch the entire Radiohead glasto set from 2003 here.

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