Photos by Eric Walker
Radiohead recently put on a gig at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles to raise money for Haiti. Being only 1,300 capacity – it was a rare experience for anyone that was lucky enough to be able to go. Because the venue was so small, concert goers were treated to an intimate setting, and a unique live experience from Radiohad.
The band took the stage at 8:30, as Yorke and Greenwood quietly approached the stage as they kicked the show off with “Faust Arp.” Without any stage set up, they were covered in shadow as they set the mood for the rest of the show. The whole place was quiet, and as Greenwood plucked the last string, you could hear a pin drop, as people were in awe. Yorke slyly told fans to “sing along to this next song, I might have forgotten the words” – as he kicked into “Fake Plastic Trees.” From here on out, Yorke made it obvious this show was for the fans that had come to participate in this charity event.
Because the band lacked any stage set up (compared to previous tours) – it really felt like the band was just up there jamming in a practice session. It was very fascinating to see, and throughout the night they would have their fare share of slip-ups. But these moments actually enhanced the experience, as you were getting to witness the band play loose – and even *gasp* a little bit sloppy. But moments like this were few and far between, and when they did screw up, the band made sure to kick it back into gear and jump back into the song in perfect sync.
One of the more endearing moments came when Yorke announced the total earnings that were made for the event. “Gross, fuck me. $572,754 dollars. That’s over half a million dollars alright”. At one point in the show, he jokingly asked the audience how they got the money to pay for this gig. “So, what did you do to get the tickets? Borrowed money from dad? Blackmailed your boss? …Sold your bike?” As the crowd was yelling out various answers, it was clear that Yorke had a great time playing with the crowd in between songs.
The setlist was twenty-four songs total, and was close to two hours in length. Although the band did not debut any new songs (besides “Lotus Flower” which was played at Thom’s solo shows) – the live show seemed to serve as useful tool, as the band got to take a break from recording the new album, as they played through songs spanning almost their entire discography (debut album Pablo Honey was not represented). While the show was auction based – and as was to be expected, celebrities came out in masses to see the event, there was actually a good amount of “middle income” fans that paid the minimum to get in. These same folks waited in line ten plus hours – excited at the prospects of seeing their favorite band in such a small venue. The show was more than worth it. Whether you were there just for the show, donating to Haiti, or both – the event was a joyous celebration, and a unique one at that.
*Wanted to also give a special thanks to Marc Nguyen for taking some of the photos used in this piece.
Setlist:
01 Faust Arp [Thom and Jonny]
02 Fake Plastic Trees
03 Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
04 The National Anthem
05 Nude
06 Karma Police
07 Kid A
08 Morning Bell
09 How To Disappear Completely
10 A Wolf at the Door
11 The Bends
12 Reckoner
13 Lucky
14 Bodysnatchers
15 Dollars & Cents
16 Airbag
17 Exit Music
Encore #1:
18 Everything In Its Right Place [Thom Solo]
19 You And Whose Army?
20 Pyramid Song
21 All I Need
Encore #2:
22 Lotus Flower [New Song/Thom Solo]
23 Paranoid Android
24 Street Spirit (Fade Out)
