It was a wet day; a wet, wet day in June. Yet, despite the hours in the drizzle and the downpour Radiohead eclipsed everything with a stellar performance on Glasgow Green.
I've never been to a concert on the Green before and, despite living in the central belt most my life, have never ventured to Glasgow's waterfront either. A festival-like atmosphere awaited and, with the fenced entrance, rows of food and beer stalls and the humongous stage I felt like at least I had been able to go to a mini festival this year.
Supporting Radiohead was Bat for Lashes, a female artist, and her band The Blue Dreams. Having only listened to a couple of her songs explicitly in advance of the concert I was unsure what to expect. With deep bass and heavy drums, the venue came to life for the first time as the band took to the stage. The act finished with, perhaps, the most famous of her songs What's a Girl to Do? delivered beautifully. The album Fur and Gold was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize and, having bought it since I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a dabble in female singer-songwriter work.
After what seemed an age, everything was in place for Radiohead to perform. Large white tubes pulled in from each side and the band took to the stage. The set kicked off with 15 Steps, a high energy number to get the crowd going and from the moment the concert started the audience was enthrauled. All ages stood entranced and almost everyone was singing along. The large white tubes lit up in colour after colour, part after part forming shapes and patterns in the air above the band in time with the music. When the band played Paranoid Android the heavens opened and the words "Let it rain down on me, from a great height" took a literal meaning. Broken up by two encores, the performance finished with 2+2=5 and Idioteque. Something that set a smile on the face of my fellow hardcore Radiohead fan but that I couln't help but feel was an unusual way to end the show.
While being a wet, wet day in June an excellent evening was delivered as Radiohead more than lived up to their reputation as both outstanding musicians and performers.
Encore 1
Encore 2
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