Review by Eric:
It's 2:00 am Friday morning and I'm sitting here at my keyboard, with the sound of Everything in it's Right Place echoing in the background. I'm tired, I'm beat, I'm sick of driving, but, I'd go through all of it all over just to see Radiohead again.

The August 21st show at the Blossom Music center was my first chance to see the boys live and I enjoyed every minute of it. They opened with "Sit Down, Stand Up" a fine choice to get the evening rolling. "Morning Bells" and "Dollars and Cents" both came out extremely well and left me and a few others breathless. "Paranoid Android" and "The Bends" really got the crowd into the music as well. I enjoyed hearing all of the newer songs live, and thankfully they performed a good deal of them. "Everything in it's right place" sounded top notch as it closed the show.

The performance of "Idioteque" proved to be one of the more interesting parts of the evening. The song started out great and the whole audience was really into it, but when Thom went into his frenzied dance he barely got moving before accidently knocking the microphone over. To my suprise Thom instantly broke out of his dance and cut the song short then and there. The lights came on and Thom, minus the music, and sang a couple lines to end the song.

The sound was excellent, the bass for "The Gloaming" felt like it was going right into me. The lights were very well done too and added a nice touch to the show.

All and all this was a great show and I highly recommend to any fan of Radiohead, new or old, to check them out live.

-Eric Schepers

Review by Michael:
Blossom was one of the very first outdoor ampitheaters in the world, and was recently redone to accomodate the huge shows put on there. This was my first time seeing Radiohead live, and although the Jicks had their moments, I just couldn't get beyond the notion that I was about to see my favorite band in person! Ed, Phil, Jonny, Colin and Thom are each my favorite player at their respective instruments- which is why I appreciate Radiohead so much...I can listen to each song at least five different ways and savor every drop of it.

I was glad to see that they've been mixing up the setlists on this tour, and from the get-go Radiohead were tight as I've ever heard them (recordings, bootlegs, movie clips). The only bum part of the whole show was Colin losing track of the end of the song- with his melody on the keyboards for Idioteque, he seemed to be talking to Phil- maybe a moniter problem- then he kind of lost the rythym. Also, it was frustrating that Jonny's guitar was so low in the mix. You had to really concentrate and then imagine a bit of what he was playing during his solos and fills. That was kind of disappointing. Other than that- everything was spectacular.

One thing that had me very concerned was the crowd's attempt to sing along with No Suprises. Ugh. That was awful. Maybe it was just my section of the pavilion but we're talking about some seriously tone-deaf people. Frightening. And then the rythym for the attempted clap along for Exit Music...sigh...I really worry about the musical future of the greater Cleveland/Akron area. Thom actually seemed to get a bit erked, as he came to the front of the stage and led the audience through a round of clapping for Idioteque, I think it was.

The Bends was a pleasant suprise and seems to be in order with the "one Bends song per show" theme...although I was really hoping for Just or My Iron Lung. All in all, a thoroughly impressive first show to have experienced. I cannot wait to see them do it all again.

-michael

Review by Scott:
First off, I just want to say how excited I was to see the way the crowd treated the band. Based on the smiles and the laughs from the band, I really think that they were excited to be there last night, and even more so after the warm and loud cheering they received after every song they played. Last night was definitely one of the most memorable evenings I have ever had. Now to the review.

I'm not going to review every song, as there really is no need. But, I will point out the highlights of the evening. Probably the most outstanding song of the evening for me was "2 + 2 = 5". The album version of the song is remarkable in and of itself. But, when played live against the backdrop of one of the most spectacular lighting sets, the song rocked even harder! "Morning Bell" and "Lucky" were also my favorites for the evening. "Exit Music" was absolutely beautiful and true to form. And "Myxomatosis" rocked the crowd. To watch Thom dance during that song was amazing. The boy's definitely got rhythm!!!

All in all, I definitely don't think the band could have put on a better show. Every aspect was just perfect - the sound, the lighting. I just wish that the band could have played for hours more. But, the heat was exhausting. I still don't know how Phil wears a suit in those conditions.

Radiohead - thank you for one of the most memorable evenings of my life! You brought out in me every positive emotion that I have. I love all so you much! Thank you!

- Scott

Review by Braxton:
This was the second time I had seen the boys, the previous time being at the same venue two years ago. I have to say the first time was a better show, for many reasons, one big one was the last Cleveland show was the first time they played Spinning Plates live, and also because I'm a bigger fan of the previous albums than HTTT, and of course this setlist was 11 out of 14 from HTTT. But with that out of the way, it was a great show. Some highlights for me were Myxamatosis, it was always a skipper for me on the CD but I have a new respect for it since hearing it live. First time I heard Kid A live, sounded tight. There There was awesome, Jonny went off on his axe. I thought Paranoid Android could've been better, the last time I heard it live I thought it sounded a lot better, especially near the end. I think they might have been having technical difficulties. Where I end and you begin is probably my favorite song from HTTT, but I thought it's live performance lacked something. My favorite part is when it builds up to the end with Jonny messin with Whale noises, but I could hardly hear anything but the bassline. But this is all subjective. The Bends was a great surprise, I was hoping for a really great surprise like last year, but oh well. I still have a hope that I will hear "Let Down" live someday. I wish Thom would've been more chatty, he was quiet. Probably just a little burnt out from singing to us yankees. The boys were gracious and smiling and did look genuinely happy to be there, but I really wish the crowd would've just shut up sometimes, like when Thom was playing Exit Music and every 5 seconds another fan would scream WOOOO. I blew my lid when this kid next to me yelled, "Yeah Thom, you f*ckin rock!!!" I wish people would have a little more respect. Oh well It's Cleveland, what can you do? All in all a good show, hard to top 2001 especially in my hometown, but good show nonetheless. -Braxton

Review by Timothy:
Right now it's August 22nd at 9:20 PM. I got home from OH a few hours ago to good ol Northern Michigan... in conclusion the long drive was worth it.

As I sit here listening to Myxomatosis while I make the Radiohead setlist mix, I feel totally lucky to have witnessed what I did last night.

I was REALLY tired, we had cheap pavillion seats, and we had a million other hotel worries, but it didn't matter when we were hacking on the lawn before the show. We met some great kids from Frankenmuth and hacked during Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks who were pretty good in their own right. Nice opening group. After they left we took our seats in row O, seats 21-23, sec 38... CRAP SEATS. Oh well, because as soon as they started walking out and we heard that opening drum loop to "Sit Down, Stand Up" I got all giddy and shaky. My friend Randi started slapping me on the arm as we hooted and hollered, jumping up and down.

When it broke in, we saw the sea of people bathed in light, all chanting "The Raindrops" and I felt more awake than I'd been in days. It was a quality opener.

Hail to the Thief (all 11 songs they played) was excellent live. It sounded very tight and well rehearsed and the new arrangment of the Gloaming was the bomb.

The highlight of the show was Thom Yorke's dancing. It's just soooooo cool. Sometimes I would watch his shadow cast on the wall of the pavillion and it was just too awesome. He's a FIREBALL and just puts all his emotion into the show.

Paranoid Android was awesome, but the coolest thing is when they played Idioteque and I didn't think it could get any better... and they did EXIT MUSIC! Man, what a great song, and it caught me off guard!

I have to brag to my friend Evan that they played Wolf at the Door at this one and not at the show he saw. But, somehow I gotta see these guys again SOON. It was just insanely good. Best concert I've seen since Sigur Ros back in March.

Hats off to those guys. They put their all into the show and it was pure class and excellence.

Review by Steve:
I cannnot say enough great things about last night's concert at Blossom. My 3 friends and i packed into my car on tuesday morning and left Buffalo on a little end-of-summer trip to see radiohead in Columbia, MD, and yesterday just outside of Akron, OH. After some 'altercations' with the police in the parking lot of wednesday's show, we had much anticipation to be in a different town with a nicer venue- Merriweather sucked (and less security). Albeit radiohead was amazing and played a setlist i couldn't have hand-picked better, the 5-o really killed our moxy.

Ohio came through for us. Blossom Mucic Center is one of the nicest venues I have ever had the pleasure of attening a concert at. It was like going to a park for a picnic. A bit overwhelmingly wholesome, but a hell of a lot more comforting and welcoming then certain places in Maryland (see above).

And as for the band...
Holy shit they played punch-up!

By far my favorite song from HTTT, 'a drunk punch-up at a wedding' was the highlight of the evening and made any hassle during our little trip completely worth it. Everything else they played was spectacular and after 2 nights in a row of radiohead, I felt content that I had consumed a vast and varied selection of their catalogue. But my question is, what was up w/ the 'idioteque' performance? Was Thom pissed @ us? I thought the crowd last night was great and totally into the band. Maybe i was wrong?

steve/ny

Review by Jim:
This is the 2nd time I have seen Radiohead, and let me start by saying that this band is playing like they are on top of the world right now...and they are on top of the world. I don't think I have ever heard Thom's voice and the bands music sound so good live. It was in a word "perfect". However, this night was semi-bittersweet for me personally. Definitely better than the last time I saw these guys (Chicago 2001)...by a long ways. However, as most avid fans of the band will admit, I have my favorite songs...and very few of them were played last night. Airbag, Karma Police, True Love Waits, Scatterbrain, Big Ideas...and of course Creep. I was hopeful I would FINALLY get to hear Creep live as they have been playing it recently...but no cigar. And there was of course the "falling apart" of Idioteque at the end...which was kinda disappointing...as it is one of their more rocking songs live. Don't know what happened there, but it sounded to me like somebody got off rythym, and then it just fell apart at the end. Jokingly, Thom sang the last part "acapella"..."This is for the children!" Now, just because I wanted to hear some songs and didn't, don't think for one second that I didn't thoroughly enjoy this show! These guys played their asses off last night, and it was to date still the best show I have ever seen live by any band. There were songs on the new album that I didn't overly care for before I heard them live last night...and now I can't get over how much I love them now. These would include Sit Down, Stand Up, Myxamatosis, and The Gloaming. Thom and Co., if you are reading this, PLAY THESE SONGS AT EVERY LIVE SHOW!!! They give us a chance to hear what you guys already knew...these songs absolutely rock live! Honestly, every song they played last night just sounded so amazing live...anyone who hasn't seen the band are in for an eye opener. Luckily, I get to see them play again in St. Louis on Sunday...I am literally counting down the hours. And of course, keeping my fingers crossed that I hear some of those songs that I didn't get to hear last night. In closing, I would just like to say that every Radiohead fan has to be somewhat letdown at the end of one of their shows, because most of us could sit and listen to these guys play ALL NIGHT. No matter how long they were to play, no matter how many encores they do, there will always be many songs that didn't make the playlist that you will wish that you had an opportunity to hear live. That is nothing more than a testament to how great this band is, and how many unbelievable songs they have created together. Hats off to Radiohead...they just keep proving over and over they are the greatest band on the planet.

Review by Joe:
After being the 3rd car to arrive @ Blossom..I knew it would be a special night. Even though we waited from about 4.00 - 5.30 pm for a soundcheck and we never heard it. (Does anyone know if they did it before, or didn't do one or what?) Anyway, the gates opened a little late...around 6.15 all the lawn people rushed to get seats, but I calmy walked in, as I had dead center..Section 35 Pavilion Seats.
After sitting down and hearing those 4-5 god foribidden Reggae being played over and over I almost burst. The Jicks opened on time @ 8.30 and it wasn't great, they aren't neccessarily bad either, just not that good..
Radiohead comes on...and since this was my first Radiohead concert, I was mainly impressed by the lighting at the show. The lighting could almost be given an award itself, it was so spectular, so brillant. Timed perfectly to certain songs..A+ for that..
As the smoke cleared and the first few beats of Sit Down Stand Up came in everyone starting jumping around and going crazy. The buildup in the middle was a great way to start the concert, as Thom running from the Piano to the Mic!
Morning Bell was a nice little surprise being next..and Lucky..Thunderously rolled on..
Probably one of the best versions so far of any show this year was Myxamotosis...it was simply great, with the purple and green lights..A great song to play live, I feel it sounds better than the HTTT version.
Kid A, then @ the begginning of "Backdrifts," Thom says something like.."Here's a song when you feel like growing into a tree," something weird, but funny..Backdrifts was fablous as well..
There There and WIEAYB back to back where amazing....With the lighting perfectly timed up with the drums on There There..
Go To Sleep, then one of the many highlights of the show..Paranoid Android....Brillantly performed along with the lights, (bright and white right into the crowd, you could see everything.) One of the top 3 songs of the night...
I was a little disappointed then, with Sail To The Moon, not with the band, but alot of fans after all that energy during Paranoid Android, many sat down during Sail To The Moon...That's wasn't cool at all..
A Punchup was next, followed by 2+2=5 which I feel was a great place in the set-list...not an encore or opener, but a middle ground song, and the crowd naturally went crazy!!!
Idioteque was probably the best performance I have heard of the song...I loved it when Thom came back out and sang "This one is for the children, this one is for the children," breath-taking moment.
Exit Music, another top 3 song spot...Although I was getting pissed when people started clapping along, Exit Music is some a beautiful song and some people ruined it! The green and blue lights were such a compliment to it as well.
The National Anthem, another pecuilar moment, at the beggining you know when Johnny always loops those little "news," clips I like to call them (also the same @ the begginning of Climbing Up The Walls) if you listened closely, and kept up the with news in West Virginia, you could hear the faint sound of:
"40 year old male, dangerous criminal, from West Virginia," relating to the sniper incidents in Charleston right now..I thought that was VERY VERY weird!
Next was Wolf At The Door, a brillant performance and a crowd favorite, great intensity!
Followed by first time played on the 2003 tour, Dollars And Cents, and if you look @ Blossom 01's setlist I think Radiohead tried to mimick this gig, with this song and Exit Music both through in, as opposed to the other gigs this year so far!
No Surprises sing-a-long to "They don't speak for us," raised Mr. Bush's eyebrow.
Next, the ultimate moment of the night. First encore, or second I forget. Thom comes back up with his electric..says "this next song is called," pauses for quite a moment...then
THE BENDS!
The orange and bright white lights complimented this song perfectly, and this was by far the best moment of the night for me! I was so glad they played something from The Bends! Thank You!

The Gloaming was another great encore..
Street Spirit (even though I hate the song) was a fan favorite, and complete silence rang throughout the building as Thom picked through the chords..

EEIRP place ended it all out with the "Forever," scrolling across the big screen as we headed out of the venue. It was my first and hopefully not last Radiohead experience. And It was priceless! Thank You!


-Joe Cooper- aka. thierryhenry.

Review by JDunstan81@aol.com
I'm not sure if it's because I've seen the band 3 times before, going all the way back to '95, or just because I was distracted by a lot personal things that have happened lately, but this show ranks the lowest out of my 4 radiohead experiences. Don't get me wrong. The show was good, but I guess I was being way to critical. First off, the Blossom Music Center is a beautiful venue. If any artist you like comes to this place and you are near, you should definitely go. When Radiohead finally came on, they started with a bang, musically and visually. But already into the second song, Morning Bell, I started getting annoyed. Throughout the rest of the night it seemed liked Johnny wasn't really paying attention to the rest of the band. He's known for his crazy guitar noises and solos, but last night he just seemed to be getting sloppy. His parts dragged on way too long on a few songs, and I'm surprised that they got through Paranoid Android without starting over because of his speeding up and leaving the band behind. Respect to Phil for staying on the time signature (as best he could) with this constant speeding up and slowing down. Idioteque was the biggest disapointment of the evening. At the end of the song, Colin got lost with the keyboard part, coming in late and jumbling up the song (hence the early ending and Thom's "this is for the children" rant). High points of the night were The Gloaming, Exit Music, Sail to the Moon, Lucky, and Myxomatis (a.k.a. skull crusher). Was hoping that they'd play Let Down (my favorite + I've never heard it live), but still enjoyed the set. All in all it was a good show, but is no where to close to the other shows I've seen.

Review by JJ:
Last night's show at the Blossom Music Center was my second time seeing Radiohead live. I saw the band two years ago at the same venue, and I was blown away, so I was really looking forward to the show. I was not disappointed.

The band came out blazing, and didn't stop. Opening with "Sit down, stand up" the boys rocked on one song after another. "Myxomatosis" and "A Punch Up at a Wedding" were highlights for me, and the conclusion of "Idioteque," where Thom sang "This one is for the children" was interesting. I was hoping to hear "Karma Police," but it really didn't matter.

Overall, Blossom is a great place for a show. The sound was excellent, and the audience was really excited. I just wish the band would come to Pittsburgh. Driving 2 1/2 hours home from Cuyahoga Falls isn't much fun. At least I had all of the band's CD's to keep me awake.

JJ

Review by Bob:
This was my third time seeing Radiohead, and they were amazing, as always. Since a few other reviews have already given the rundown, I'll just add that although it was kind of cool to see a rare performance of "Kid A," I really could have done without that or "Backdrifts." It seemed like the energy of the crowd died during those two songs as well. Luckily they were followed up by "There There" which got everyone back into it real fast. The show was very light on Amnesiac, which was surprising. As expected, there were only two songs from The Bends, but the crowd was very enthusiastic for both of them. Hopefully Thom and Co. will start to reincorporate more of the older stuff on the next tour, which I'm sure everyone who was at Blossom last night will see. One last highlight I should mention was "The Gloaming" which is really cool live. It is similar to "Everything..." where the whole band leaves the stage one by one, but Johnny stays behind with his Macintonish laptop and loops the samples he's gathered during the performance. Very strange and cool to see a guy standing by himself hitting keys on the laptop while that bass loop shakes the entire pavillion.

-Bob

Review by Will:
All in all another great show from Radiohead. You've seen the set list so I won't bother with a song by song break down, but here were my highlights and lowlights:

highlights: sit down. stand up: finally an opener i can get behind. not too obvious (2+2) or obscure (gloaming, c'mon) and it really set the tempo for the evening. there there: ed and jonny were so intense in their drumming. it was mezmerizing. ed's drum sticks kept flying out of his hands, but without missing a beat he kept on going. beautiful. dollars and cents: tight. really powerful. best song of the show. the gloaming: great live! powerful, but not a set opener (and thank god it wasn't tonight). any song where thom was forced to jump between his mike and an instrument or dance: its always fun to see thom fly around! blossom music center venue: best outdoor venue in the country (this side of red rocks anyway). great place to see a show. beautiful and organic in its surroundings (if you can over look all the coorslight signs) The setlist shakeups on this tour are amazing. The band is tight and really on right now. But what really impressed my was the crew. Between each song there were numerous instrument changes, and the crew was FAST and as unobtrusive as could be, allowing the show to have a great flow. there were very short pauses between songs, if any at all.

lowlights: spinal tap moment: for the beginning of paranoid android ed was invisible behind I huge dry ice cloud. it was like he self-combusted, for a moment anyway. paranoid android: jonny's guitar came in WAY too loud on the "you remember" part. ed colin and phil all looked thrown. idioteque: colin lost it at the end. thom cut the song early, but then sang his "this one is for the children" part with no back up very intensely while the stage lights were up. exit music: I personally apologize to thom for the obnoxious crowd members that thought CONSTANT screaming and 'whopping' would enhance the performance of this song. the crowd ruined what could have been a stellar moment. were i thom i would've walked off. i wish i could "shushed" the whole crowd. blossom music center staff and management: when your website says doors open at 5:30pm don't keep a long line of hot people bottled up at the gate for an extra 50 minutes. although i guess it could have been the Jicks still sound checking that kept the doors closed. Either way there is no need for the staff to be rude about the whole thing. the problems were insignificant in the whole scheme of things considering how stellar the show was over all.

great show. great time. makes the drive up from Columbus seem like nothing just to be surrounded by the beautiful music of radiohead on a great evening like tonight.

will

Review by Jenny:
Last night i went to see radiohead in Concert for the first time! I was so excited because i have been their fan for almost 7 years now and I have missed every chance to go see them.
Well, last night on a beautiful and HOT night, I drug my boyfriend out to see them. He doesnt like radiohead but I thought this concert might turn him around. So it was great!!! I really liked the Tourist, No Surprises, Exit Music, and Paranoid Android. My boyfriend actually did end up liking ONE song, Street spirit. But thats expected because that song sounds a little more mainstream.
The one thing that i can actually complain about (which may be my fault) was the fact that they didnt play karma Police, creep, or Fake Plastic Trees. I at least wanted one of those songs. But oh well, i guess we cant make them do everything. however, It seems like in all the previous shows they have played at least 2 of those great songs. I think though I was expecting them to play for 5 hours and hear all my favorite songs, which would take all night.
Thom's voice was on and the music and lights were great! I didnt completely turn my man around but thats ok because it for me it was the best night ever!

Review by Dan:
As one would anticipate, this show was nothing short of jaw-droppingly wondrous. Radiohead never fail to satisfy the ever-increasing masses they draw to all of their gigs. I had the pleasure of witnessing this particular display from the pit section. But I do hold an honest sympathy for the many who were not so lucky to score the coveted tickets. I did have the good fortune to have seen them play at Blossom in 2001 and I watched from the lawn with the majority. Truthfully, each has its perks and its perils, but from whatever distance you view the band, it's the mind-numbingly magnificent sounds they create that brings us all together on that hillside.

Thom had great energy. Particularly during "Myxomatosis" and "A Wolf at the Door" though he clearly appeared to be enjoying himself the entire show, dancing about like a madman at times and making peculiar and most often comical gestures towards the crowd. I remember during one song, he was 'directing' the audience in their clapping along like some sort of psychotic conductor. I found that quite humourous, and apparently so did he. "The Bends" was an unexpected surprise and a thrill at that. And personally, I would have to say the same for "Kid A". Quite interesting to hear it played live. Johnny's guitar work is incredible. Multiple times during their set I would find myself immersed solely in what his fingers were doing, in complete awe of how he got such noise come through those pickups. Brilliance. Especially on "Go To Sleep" and "There There". And not to praise any member higher than the rest. All five deserve due recognition and credit for each and all of their talents. "A Punchup at a Wedding" I believe received the minimal degree of applause of all the songs, but I loved it.

I was really hoping they would have played "Fog" or any b-side for that matter, but I had my doubts. During "Idioteque" I noticed that Colin came in a couple measures off after the ambient segue part. Thom caught it and simply didn't do his little chant: "This one's for the children" as he usually does at the end of the song. He stopped Colin before the last measure was over as he would have been only halfway through it when it ended. Then after the music had ceased, he proceeded a cappella with the rant. Nice recovery/cover-up.* Despite error, they put on a marvelous show. The sound was great and the lights were awesome. During the fade out of "Everything in it's Right Place", the back lights scrolled "FOREVER".

A priceless experience well worth the time and money. (Is that an oxymoron?) Blossom Music Center is a wonderful venue. Beautifully designed and well kept. No wonder Radiohead keep coming back. I recommend coming if they ever do again. Maybe I'll see you there...

- Dan Robbins

Review by Mark (anachronistic):
My friend Billie and I drove up to Ohio to see Radiohead perform at the Blossom Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio on August 21st. Our tickets (which we ordered through w.a.s.t.e.) said Section 14, Row J. We thought that this meant that our tickets were for the tenth row, which would be a very great view indeed. Upon arrival, we discovered that Row J was in fact the second row! This would?ve been great but for the fact that people in the front row get to stand on a step and lean forward against the wall that forms the back of the pit. This meant that our view would be greatly obstructed by people?s heads. Billie suggested that I talk to the security woman who was standing in the aisle right in front of us and ask her if we could stand on the step. She told me that only people with front row tickets could stand on this step, and that she was sorry but she was just doing her job. I was very nice and said that I understood. I proceeded to tell her that we had driven 500 miles from North Carolina to see this concert and she seemed a bit surprised, but she couldn?t let us stand up there unless we had a front row ticket. So we were a bit let down, but we were still really close, and maybe every now and then we thought, we?d see Ed or Thom?s head or something. Then, just as the band was taking the stage, I felt Billie hitting me on the shoulder yelling ?go Mark, GO!? The security woman had just told Billie in her ear that we could stand behind her on the step! This provided us with an excellent view. We were standing right behind the back wall of the pit now, but being on that step, we were a head?s height higher than everyone in the pit. This afforded us a PERFECT view of all five members of the band. We were only about 30-40 feet away from the band, we estimated (the pit was quite small). I could read the headstock on Ed?s telecaster perfectly? not just the part that said ?Fender? ? I could also read the tiny print that said ?telecaster.? I could see the little notches in the volume knobs of Thom?s electric guitar. I could see the outlines of the icons on the screen of Jonny?s iMac. All of this I could see without the use of binoculars or screens. I had never been this close to a band, let alone my favorite band.

Some especially memorable moments (I?ll try to go in order) and some observations:

The whole band was very animated. Given how much I and so many other fans enjoy their music, it?s a real pleasure to see that they really, genuinely enjoy making the music. They all seemed to have a good time onstage, despite the heat and humidity.

Thom made some great faces and gestures during ?Myxomatosis?? it was absolutely hysterical. *grins*

Jonny?s guitar solo at the end of ?Backdrifts? was really virtuosic on this occasion, as was Thom?s dancing.

A smiling Thom introduced ?There There? something like ?This is the song with that video where I turn into a tree.? Also in this particularly rocking version of ?There There,? Ed broke nearly every spare drumstick.

I made eye contact with Ed during ?A Punch-Up at a Wedding? in between the verses. During this song, Colin came forward and jammed (erm? grooved) with Ed at the front of the stage.

2+2=5 rocks my world.

Instead of singing ?this one?s for the children? or ?they?re fathers to the children? after Thom finished his dance toward the end of ?Idioteque,? he froze like a statue and stood for a while as the song continued onward. He then ran over to Colin and pulled his hands off the keyboard and gestured to Phil to kill the drums. And then the lights went off. When the lights went on, during the applause, Thom came forward and started chanting ?this one?s for the children? a cappella into the microphone. I?m not quite sure what to make of this. I thought something may have gone wrong with the equipment, but Colin seemed to get a kick out of it? and Thom seemed intent on standing still like a statue at the time he was supposed to be singing the closing lines. *smiles and shrugs* After talking to some fellow ateasers, it seems that Colin came in early and that this was the cause of the conundrum.

A few drunken idiots nearly succeeded in ruining ?Exit Music? by trying to start the rest of the audience clapping during the first verse and by screaming loudly? but thankfully, Thom and the band kept on going. You could tell the dedicated fans (like myself) were a bit pissed though.

The first encore held most of the surprises of the show and many memorable moments for me: - ?A Wolf at the Door? ? this song had been on my ?Top 3 songs I want live at this, my second Radiohead concert? - ?Dollars and Cents? ? I have a new respect for this song after seeing it performed live. It is very haunting? scary even. - ?The Bends.? Particularly cool was how Jonny took the last two notes of the song (?neeeeeeed you?? which Thom sings basically a cappella) and sampled them with his iMac and used them at the beginning of ?The Gloaming? - ?The Gloaming? ? The band does so much more with the live versions of the song than they do with the studio version: Jonny does a good amount of sampling on his iMac. Thom does some nifty, spastic dance moves. The bass becomes more active as well. I could feel the bass rattling my body as I leaned forward against the back wall of the pit.

Thom introduced ?Everything in its Right Place? by saying ?this one is for the good days,? which Jonny (being Jonny) sampled repeatedly as Thom started the song.

Some other notes on the concert:

After the lights came on, Billie and I headed around our place right behind the pit wall and went into the pit. We almost obtained THE setlist from a stagehand after the show? but I guess the guy next to us was louder in his request.

The lights were really excellent. I had thought they were great at Field Day (my first Radiohead concert) but being so much closer gave me a new perspective on this.

All in all, a most excellent Radiohead concert experience. It went by so fast. It still seems like a dream. Can?t wait to see them again in Atlanta in October.

One more strange note: The next day, Billie and I went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland (which lacks much in the way of Radiohead). As we were exiting the building, the Capitol Records van with the Hail to the Thief artwork on the sides and ?Hail to the Thief? written on the front and back drove by and stopped right in front of us. A man got out of the passenger side and took a picture of the van in front of the museum. If that picture ever turns up, Billie and I will be in it cause we were standing in between the van and the museum. Haha.

Your fellow ateaser, - Mark

Review by Nick:
It was the first time I have ever seen Radiohead. Me and a friend arrived in Cuyahoga Falls around 4:00. I was expecting the gates to open at 5:30 which the website for Blossom said. Not until around 6:20 did the gates open. I heard a little sound checking throughout the 2 hours I was there. I was about the 10th person to enter the standing pit section, and i was two feet to the right of Thom's microphone. I couldn't of asked for better seats. Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks were very entertaining, after more than two hours of waiting in the heat, they made the time go faster. Phil was offstage to my right watching them, while Stephen Malkmus dedicated a song to him. They were done about 9:25 and then started to clear off the stage. I could kinda see Radiohead's set through the black curtain but didn't know exactly what to expect. 9:45 came around and the lights went down. Radiohead came out casually as Thom sat down at the piano to play Sit Down, Stand Up, which was outstanding. The set was amazing, the colors, the fog, the lights created an amazing setting for the band. At times Thom would come right in front of me, I reached out my hand and was about a foot away from him. I brought a camera and found out we could use them so I took some outstanding pictures. It was an outstanding show, recently in the tour they have had some tech problems, which there were a few but in no way would disturb the concert for me. This concert was amazing, I couldn't ask for more from the band, they have proven why they are the greatest band in the world. Thanks to Radiohead for everything!

-Nick
OptimisticKidA@aol.com

Review by Bulletproof:
This was the third time I've seen Radiohead play live, the other two times being back in the summer of 2001 when the bend were truly in the height of their career. I did not expect their shows would improve and I have to say my expectations turned out to be true. Not that it wasn't a good show, even the worst of RH shows blow away most other bands I can think of (I saw Live play two days later and even if I like some of their songs and they have a lot of sing-alongs they by no means measured up to RH in any way). My main complaints about the concert were that I don't feel the HTTT material lives up to the quality of their previous albums. The songs are too short, generally, and emphasis soundscape over melody. I can imagine the boys want to do something different and to stretch their musical abilities beyond the traditional guitar rock, however sometimes the audiance is just left behind during these experiments. The exceptions to this were the absolutely brilliant version of the Gloaming, a definite highlight of the show, a very well executed Wolf at the Door and a sweet, if too short, Sail to the Moon. I enjoy HTTT but I still don't think it anywhere as good as the previous albums and the live performance of the songs concreted that view (still, anyone who hasn't bought that album should since it is very good and has some truly brilliant tracks on it). Another of my complaints is really that it appears Johhny has migrated to another universe and is becoming a bit to prominant in the band. I always perceived RH as a solid group of brilliant musicians who worked together to create the most mind-blowing soundscapes this world has ever heard, now I feel more and more like Johhny is of on his own, he was very loud in the mix (from where I stood at least) and there were just too many wierd guitar solos (the man is one of the 5 best guitarists of our times mind you, he's brilliant, but the strength or RH lies more in Ed's subtle, yet amazingly beauitful guitar noises and the mix of the two styles). It seems like Ed feels almost out of place on some of the new tracks and adds very little to them. Now for the good stuff. Street Spirit was amazing, this song just manages to paralyze me completely every time and is the most beautiful song ever written. I've been lucky enough to see it all three times (Seatle and Hollywood Bowl 2001). The Bends was a mezmorizing example of what you can do with three world-class guitarists, Exit Music (- the clapping) was beautiful, the Gloaming was as manacing and dark as anything ever done, leaving you with a sense of paranoya and almost frightened, Paranoid Android is and has always been a classic, despite Johhny's apparent problems in the song, I think he had problems with his effects which caused his speeding up of the solo, I don't think the problem lay with his playing as we all know he's more than capable of playing that solo 100% accurately in his sleep. Over-all a great show but I hope the next album will be a little more sublte and more will be put into the songs. I'm already looking forward to seeing them play Atlanta in October. -Bulletproof

Review by Ricky:
I consider myself one of the luckiest people alive as I was able to see this Radiohead concert not only from the pit, but from the very front and center of it. It was hands down the best night of my live. Thom was literally five feet from me the entire time. He is completely mesmerizing on stage with his frantic dancing and facial expressions. All he has to do is strike a pose or run around like a madman and the croud goes insane. This was my first time seeing Radiohead live and I can't wait to see them again. Blossom is a great place for them to play. The show, other than some minor slip ups was almost perfect. Myxomatosis was surprisingly awesome with Thom's crazy dancing, I loved The Bends, There There was much better than when it was performed and shown from the Beacon Theatre, and I loved Backdrifts. One song that is always amazing live is Lucky. I also still did enjoy Idioteque a lot despite the mess up. Jonny Greenwood is definitely one of the most talented musicians in the world and he is by far the most creative guitar player on the planet. If you couldn't tell, the whole Backdrifts solo was done completely backwords. He did mess up a tiny bit in paranoid android, but it was still sweet. Being that close to the band is something everyone should experience in his or her lifetime. I cannot describe the rush of adrenalin you get from it. I've never sweat so much in my entire life. The gloaming and 2+2=5 were also amazingly powerful. I could feel the bass running through my body. No band can do the things that Radiohead can do. The music is so emotional and so perfectly played, it cannot be denied that they are the best band in the world. I never thought a live act could make me feel the way I did at Blossom. No other band has ever left me wanting so much more at the end. The perfomance at Blossom was amazing and I will never forget it.
Ricky

Review from Jef:
It was my first Radiohead show. I went to New York in june for the Field Day but when i got there i found out my ticket was no good. Anyway, as rock concerts go it was pretty good, but why did they take so long to come out? And why did they keep turning towards me as if to say, "hey, you're not listening!" I've been a Radiohead fan for years, and when i saw them in real life i guess i expected a more personal, friendly kinda thing, rather than a big-time, factory showroom spectacular. So now i'm like 'okay, that was that.'

Review by Andy:
During the blossom show Everything in it's right place was played last. After Thom walked off the stage he came out onto one of the wings to see the stage and the crowd. He was in the crowd. He stood behind a bouncer and looked at the stage and then looked over the crowd and a huge smile came over his face. Though no one in the crowd even noticed and some people actually walked with in feet of him without noticing him. Though only reason I know this is I was working the gate where he came out. This made for a excelent work night for me. Andrew Miller

Review by Laura and Ann: The planets were aligned...well, two planets, anyway. It was an astronomical milestone nonetheless. This week, Mars and Earth made their closet contact in roughly 60,000 years, and it's no coincidence that we caught a glimpse of what appears to be five higher life forms known as Radiohead. Perhaps there might be another band, or some kind of other musical or aural entity, that will be as artistically monumental within the next 60,000 years, but experts (like us?) suggest it is unlikely.

While the steamy (still 84 degrees F/29 C at 9 pm!) night sky above Radiohead's August 21 performance was making natural history, the nearly 18,500-strong audience enjoyed the bucolic splendour of the setting. Blossom Music Center, located just south of the Great Lakes and in the middle of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, is THE most perfect summer concert venue, whether it be for experiencing the Cleveland Orchestra (Blossom is the summer home of this internationally recognized orchestra), or for an extraordinary group that transcends both 'serious'’and 'popular'’ genres. Recently updated with a Vermont slate roof and new acoustics in what's known as the Pavilion, Blossom was at its finest to welcome one of the world's finest musical ensembles.

They were superb. Full stop. The outstanding vocals, lovely keyboard work, high-energy guitar, and overall good feeling the band expressed all contributed to an important moment in music.

Among the impressive aspects of the performance was the light show. Two immense vertical panels, hoisted high on either side of the stage, exhibited what appeared at times to be heat sensor imagery of the band members. The live video displayed on the panels provided much-desired close up's of the band for the enormous crowd, particularly those on the grassy hill that extends beyond the covered Pavilion.

Behind the band was a series of thin vertical light bars resembling a huge graphic equalizer, and above those were spotlights and glittery star-like lights. Colour schemes including icy blue and grey, hot fushias and purples, and even hotter oranges yellows and reds served to reinforce the rich details of the music. A particular highlight, both musically and visually, was Dollars and Sense. The two vertical light/video panels were scrolling up and down respectively, showing a medium shot of Thom bathed in red,
heat-sensored glory as he sang, "Why don't you quiet down?"

In an interview accompanying London's Shepherds Bush Empire cable-cast, Ed noted his appreciation for Radiohead fans' attention to detail. So here are a few details and respectfully submitted critiques:

- After a powerful Paranoid Android (though there were a few moments of what appeared to be mis-timings of instruments to Thom's vocals), we appreciated seeing the reflection of a sweat-soaked Thom in the ebony upright piano during Sail to the Moon. A fantastic green-coloured shot on the video panels of Thom and the keyboard from above added richness to the already rich song. We would have liked to have the video return to that shot over Thom and the piano at the very end of the piece while he played what is one of the most beautiful piano chord progressions, certainly on Hail to the Thief, if not on all Radiohead works.

- More outstanding images during Idioteque, including one stage-side
close-up of Ed which also captured Thom in the background. Again, there was a timing concern during Idioteque as Thom spoke briefly to Colin, then returned to his mic and sang "This one is for the children"’ several times a capella after the music stopped.

- Other moving imagery included red pulsing lines formed by the background lighting suggestive of a heart monitor during National Anthem. Finally, perhaps most stunningly of all, the word Forever scrolling right to left like a huge LED message board as first Thom, then Colin and Phil and, later, Ed and Jonny walked off the stage to lovely aural distortion at the end of the final encore piece, Everything In Its Right Place.

To conclude, while seeing Radiohead live certainly reinforces the notion that Thom Yorke is the central figure, an even stronger message is clear: this is very much a band, regardless of who takes center stage, and it is these particular band mates and the chemistry they share that have been the basis for Yorke to reach the creative heights he has achieved. Overall, the band seems more comfortable with the attention they are receiving now, and while they remain critical of the affairs of humankind, it seems they can find joy in the goodness that presenting their music brings -- a few hours of sheer bliss for their fans and, hopefully, themselves.

We filed out of Blossom, bats (of all things!) flying overhead, led by the light of Mars, hoping to experience another such event before the planets align again.

Laura Lengel (lengell@bgnet.bgsu.edu) and Ann Warmuth (ann@aidesigngroup.com)

Review by Mike:
I just want to say how satifisfied I was with the show on Thursday night. It was my first time seeing Radiohead and I've waited a long time to see them.

I thought Sit Down, Stand Up was a pleasing opener, different from the rest of the tour.

I also want to apologize to the band for the total lameness that most of the entire crowd was displaying.

Let me clarify the Idioteque issue. I stepped aside from under the pavilion to let my sister hear the song on the phone (because it's her favorite) and i looked across the entire pavilion and the mood was as if the band was playing exit music.

The part where the strobes start flashing, right before he sings the last verse, was so disturbing and quiet. Thom was visibly upset and aware of this, he tried to pump the crowd up but they did not respond. He became frustrated, folded his arms, then went to Phil and told him to cut the music.

Best musical concert I've ever seen, worse crowd I've ever been a part of. Maybe next time the boys will come to Detroit who has a much better crowd than what i was a part of the other night.

By the way, the gloaming is something else live, it's a must see.

Mike, Detroit, MI

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