Dear Radiohead

[Foucault]

This!

Look up their setlists from this entire tour. They typically play EVERYTHING from KOL, the fact they only played 4 off of KOL is crazy. They also normally only played 1 song of OK Computer, either Karma Police or Paranoid Android, on rare occasion Lucky... you got all three.

Quit your bitching

[HandBanana]

Again, festival sets arent normal tour sets.
Other live bands understand that and play to it.
Doing the "youll eat what were cooking" schtick is safe, lazy and boring, because people like yourself love to defend that kind of self-indulgence-masquerading-as-integrity.

[grichsgang]

I was on the fence and tried real hard to get into them. Based on what I read here, glad I got the extra three hours sleep for the next day .

[KickerConspiracy]

God damn, i keep letting myself get trolled by these dumb fucks, but lets think of this...

Why did Radiohead play mostly KOL stuff?

Maybe because they're on their KOL tour?

Do you ever attend concerts by other bands with a prodigious and popular back catalog? No other artist does what Radiohead did, which is play almost the entirety of their two most recent and WAY less popular albums. U2, arguably the biggest band in the world, consistently releases (mostly rubbish) new albums, but when its time to tour, it knows the fans are coming to see their back catalog, and plays probably 80% older material.

When Paul McCartney played Coachella, even he had a new album. Do you think people were showing up to hear it? Did Sir Paul start his set by playing the new album virtually start to finish and then only sprinkled in a few Beatles classics at the end? He did not.

Look at the crowd reaction they get from their older songs compared to their new ones. The excitement and applause for the middling Karma Police was 10x what it was for any of the 10 KoL/IR songs that preceded it.

Clearly Radiohead is in love with their new material, and it did sound great live. But the concert is for the fans not the artist. They should have balanced their setlist better to include more older material.

[KickerConspiracy]

Apparently, they don't do hits.

[kimbico]

I'm thinking weekend 2 will be a lot better for Radiohead. I don't know why, I am just getting this feeling. And I guess I'm the minority here, but from what I watched I loved the set. I don't know, maybe I'm crazy... Haha.

[elChurro]

Dear Radiohead,

It's time to split up and do some more experimental solo stuff. Maybe a reunion tour a few years from now? ...but please, feel free to play all your b-sides in hopes that the "creep-crowd" will thin out and move on to something else.

[david.sound]

I don't know, but the sound was a bit off for me. I was standing in the center and there was too much panning. Was this intentional? Because it sounded like shit.

[mountmccabe]

I think the question that begs to be asked is:

"I'm not the biggest Radiohead fan, but wouldn't mind catching some of their set because they're a cool band. I like the hits but not very familiar with their newest album. Should I stay for their entire set, enjoy some of the songs I grew up with? Or will I be slightly disappointed and have wished I ventured out to enjoy Godspeed and maybe split to Sub Focus to end the night?"

...er... for the folks going next weekend...

My answer is to skip it. For someone like me who used to love them but has been blah to ugh about their last decade of music: STAY AWAY!

you guys begged for radiohead and then freaked when they were on the lineup but now you all have turned into caption complain and are hating...

The boards are not a monolith. Some people have been clamoring, others have moved on or never much cared.

When Paul McCartney played Coachella, even he had a new album. Do you think people were
showing up to hear it? Did Sir Paul start his set by playing the new album virtually start to finish and then only sprinkled in a few Beatles classics at the end? He did not..

Effectively, yes he did. There were a few big songs early but what i saw was an hour-long stretch of the Firemen and other crap. The lone saving grace was "Blackbird" but that wasn't near enough and i got bored and tired and split.

At least he eventually played something worthwhile. Radiohead never got there for me, though I suspect that didn't have anything to do with the setlist.

[JustSteve]

was sitting at the cantina saturday morning before doors opened and as they did what did i see? kroqken booking it full speed for what i assumed was the rail for radiohead...at 11am. stopped by the stage later that day and night and there he was. 14 hours in one spot. just dumb.

[JustSteve]

surprised this is even an issue for people. radiohead the band, and everything about it, is predicated on the idea that experimentation, and doing and creating new sounds, trying something out youve never done before is THE ONLY thing to do. they've never been a nostalgia act. never will be. i mean, really, did anyone expect thom to go out there and play all the "hits" to please the crowd? Everyone can and does have their favorite radiohead era and album(s), but i highly doubt pleasing the crowd is anywhere on their agenda in terms of anything they do.

were you there in '04? that's what they did then.

[darkmoon66]

since when are Karma Police, Idioteque, Paranoid Android, There There, Everything In It's Right Place, and 15 Step not "hits"?

[CrimesceneCookie]

It wasn't an identical set to 2004. People want the same experience over and over.

[HandBanana]

I don't care if they play hits. I care that it's all boring self indulgent dithering that coasts off (way way way) past glories.

[TallGuyCM]

was sitting at the cantina saturday morning before doors opened and as they did what did i see? kroqken booking it full speed for what i assumed was the rail for radiohead...at 11am. stopped by the stage later that day and night and there he was. 14 hours in one spot. just dumb.

May or not may have been for Radiohead. I've talked to Ken in detail about this, he picks the one stage each day that has the most acts he wants to see and, after getting in line at 5am, camps out on the rail at that stage all day.

[Wolfbeckett]

This weekend was a good opportunity to learn how to tell the difference between a truly self-indulgent, arrogant jackass and someone who is simply faking it. Witness Radiohead, headlining one of the biggest festivals in America playing to tens of thousands of people, and refusing to take 3 minutes to play the one song 90% of the audience wants to hear because they don't "like it very much". In contrast, witness The Hives, who's schtick is largely based around their lead singer being a self-indulgent jackass and who only had 50 minutes to play, but still somehow found time to play Main Offender, Hate To Say I Told You So, and Tick Tick Boom, despite having a new album to promote.

If you're playing a normal tour show and you can reasonable expect that most of the audience members are Radiohead superfans, do what the hell you like. But if you're headlining Coachella, play Creep you cocks.

[TallGuyCM]

LOL. You really think 90% of the crowd wanted to hear Creep? KROQ doesn't have that many employees.

[CrimesceneCookie]

Doing the "youll eat what were cooking" schtick is safe, lazy and boring, because people like yourself love to defend that kind of self-indulgence-masquerading-as-integrity.

What you just described is the absolute opposite of "safe and lazy".
If playing your own songs is "self indulgence" you should really question why you would go to see a Radiohead show in the first place.

[darkmoon66]

This weekend was a good opportunity to learn how to tell the difference between a truly self-indulgent, arrogant jackass and someone who is simply faking it. Witness Radiohead, headlining one of the biggest festivals in America playing to tens of thousands of people, and refusing to take 3 minutes to play the one song 90% of the audience wants to hear because they don't "like it very much". In contrast, witness The Hives, who's schtick is largely based around their lead singer being a self-indulgent jackass and who only had 50 minutes to play, but still somehow found time to play Main Offender, Hate To Say I Told You So, and Tick Tick Boom, despite having a new album to promote.

If you're playing a normal tour show and you can reasonable expect that most of the audience members are Radiohead superfans, do what the hell you like. But if you're headlining Coachella, play Creep you cocks.

I bet almost no one cares they didn't play Creep, people are more upset they didn't play more Bends/OK Computer/Kid A stuff.

While it would have been cool to see those old favorites, I personally enjoy In Rainbows and The King of Limbs and thought they did an amazing job.

[Wolfbeckett]

Yes, people DO care that they didn't play Creep. I understand that the members of this board might be disappointed about other things, but the members of this board are not the majority attendance at Coachella. Most of the people that go are not huge Radiohead fans that know all of their albums, most are casual fans at best and Creep is by far their most recognizable radio hit. Do not mistake this board for an accurate cross section of festival attendance, the people that post on this board are super fans who care enough about the festival and music in general to register an account and take the time to post. Most of the 150000+ people attending Coachella between the two weekends don't post here because they are casual listeners just looking to have a good time for 3 days in the desert. To not play the one song that every person at the festival knows when you are the fucking headlining act is a huge douche move.

[isnate]

Fuck Creep.

[lostatlimbo]

Yes, people DO care that they didn't play Creep. I understand that the members of this board might be disappointed about other things, but the members of this board are not the majority attendance at Coachella. Most of the people that go are not huge Radiohead fans that know all of their albums, most are casual fans at best and Creep is by far their most recognizable radio hit. Do not mistake this board for an accurate cross section of festival attendance, the people that post on this board are super fans who care enough about the festival and music in general to register an account and take the time to post. Most of the 150000+ people attending Coachella between the two weekends don't post here because they are casual listeners just looking to have a good time for 3 days in the desert. To not play the one song that every person at the festival knows when you are the fucking headlining act is a huge douche move.

If only there were other options for those non-fans to experience at the same time Radiohead was playing. So unfortunate that they were forced to listen to songs they didn't want to hear.

[lostatlimbo]

I hope that on Weekend 2, Radiohead does play Creep.

This version:

[Wolfbeckett]

I don't remember ever posting that people had to listen to Radiohead? Please point out where I said that? What I said was that they are the headliners, which means a MAJORITY of the festival was watching them. Whether or not they had other choices is completely irrelevant to the fact that most people at that time chose Radiohead.

[MostlyMellow]

Being a huge radiohead fan and being the first time seeing them I was blown away. Set of the weekend for me by far. the vocals sounded better than anyone else all weekend. Fuck what everyone else is saying. Radiohead are on a different level.

[TomAz]

was sitting at the cantina saturday morning before doors opened and as they did what did i see? kroqken booking it full speed for what i assumed was the rail for radiohead...at 11am. stopped by the stage later that day and night and there he was. 14 hours in one spot. just dumb.

Imagine what he smelled like.

[wellspun]

Anyone who is genuinely sad that they didn't play Creep can hardly be considered a fan of Radiohead. I agree that it would be nice to hear some older stuff (Kid A, Ok Comp, Bends, etc), but Creep?? Fuck that...

[ADrunkPoet]

Bands often play a lot of their new stuff at the beginning of sets, and then transition to older tracks as the set goes on. If this is shocking to anyone, go to more fucking concerts.

[CrimesceneCookie]

This weekend was a good opportunity to learn how to tell the difference between a truly self-indulgent, arrogant jackass and someone who is simply faking it. Witness Radiohead, headlining one of the biggest festivals in America playing to tens of thousands of people, and refusing to take 3 minutes to play the one song 90% of the audience wants to hear because they don't "like it very much". In contrast, witness The Hives, who's schtick is largely based around their lead singer being a self-indulgent jackass and who only had 50 minutes to play, but still somehow found time to play Main Offender, Hate To Say I Told You So, and Tick Tick Boom, despite having a new album to promote.

If you're playing a normal tour show and you can reasonable expect that most of the audience members are Radiohead superfans, do what the hell you like. But if you're headlining Coachella, play Creep you cocks.

I just read this aloud to my friends, and just so you know, we're all laughing our asses off at you. Thanks for that.

[loopy]

Bands have a right to play whatever they want in sets and exercising that right doesn't make them self-absorbed egotistical assholes. They aren't your own personal music library to play the set you want to hear. I wasn't a fan of the set, so I went somewhere else. Maybe you should've done the same.