Live Shows: Radiohead in VA Version 1

Artist: Radiohead
Venue: Nissan Amphitheatre, Bristow, VA
Date: 05/11/2008

Radiohead is powerful. It’s amazing stuff. It’s moving and uplifting. Forceful and exciting. It grabs you by the shirt collar and says, “Hey. It’s time to pay attention.” Radiohead is the visual and physical equivalent of Kurt Vonnegut’s trademark phrase, “Listen:”.

Radiohead was almost able to save last night, but it was just far too miserable.

If you were alive last night, and in the state of Virginia or Maryland, or in the District of Columbia, you may have noticed one thing: It was raining balls.

As of the time of this post, it is still currently raining. Of course, now it is not nearly as bad as it was last night.

If you were there, then relive the night with me.

Listen:

You guide your car through traffic cones and large rocks, rain falling steadily around you, and find a parking space in the already full parking lot. You open your door, and it begins: The moment you step out of the car, your feet are already soaked. The rain is unforgiving. But you’re prepared with your oversized poncho, an umbrella and some towels in a backpack. Or maybe you just came in shorts and sandals (and come dressed this way some people did).

The walk to the venue seems to be more annoying than it should be, as you try to avoid large puddles on the gravel path. You can’t avoid the large puddles. The Earth is now a large puddle. Small rivers flow down the hill as you and many others rush towards the front gates. What are you rushing towards? An escape from this misery?

How many times did you think about turning back? The car is far from view now. Your shoes are far from being dry. The rain continues to pour down. You find your ticket, rush past the Attendants and into the venue, only to find that, damn, it’s still raining. In fact, it’s raining even harder.

Up some slick stairs, and, finally, you’re on the lawn of the Nissan Amphitheatre. And for those of us who were not lucky enough to nab seats by the stage, the lawn is now your home. However, the lawn has dissapeared. In its place is this vast muddy slope, leading you towards the front, but beckoning you to move too quickly and fall into the muck.

You look around you and see that everyone is soaked. At least you’re not alone. Some smile, some laugh. Some are just too drunk and high to notice what’s going on. Some are annoyed and tired. Cold and wet. At least Radiohead will come on soon.

1 Hour Later, Radiohead comes on. They play “All I Need”. It is amazing. But it is a slow song, and so is the next. The third song comes from OK, Computer, but it’s not one of your favorites. Then “15 Step” comes on. Thom does his trademark dance. Things are looking up. But the cold front has come in and you feel horrible. The rain is coming down even harder. You look around you. There’s no reason to be out in this.

As you walk away “Weird Fishes” plays. Great song. Radiohead delivered, but the rain didn’t allow the audience on the lawn the chance to give back. It was miserable out there. Maybe next time will be better.

“C’mon, rain down on me…” – Thom Yorke