Radiohead has started their five-city European comeback tour. They are set to play 20 shows across five European cities: Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Madrid. This is their first tour since 2018, and it has been highly anticipated among fans of Radiohead and music listeners in general.
The announcement of the tour has been met with a wave of excitement from fans and Radiohead themselves.
“Last year we got together to rehearse just for the hell of it,” said Radiohead’s drummer Philip Selway on the band’s Instagram account. “It felt really good to play the songs again and reconnect with a musical identity that has been lodged deep inside all five of us.”
Selway added that this experience “made us [the band] want to play some shows together”.
The tour kicked off in Madrid, where the band is performing for four nights. Their last show in Madrid will be on Saturday. They will then go to Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and finally Berlin to wrap up the tour in December. The band also instituted a ticket registration process to curb scalping and bot activity. Fans had to register on Radiohead’s official website before purchasing tickets, but the purchased tickets can still be resold.
In the years since their last tour in 2018, each member pursued separate projects, with Ed O’Brien (guitarist), releasing a solo album, and Philip Selway also releasing his third solo album. Frontman Thom Yorke and guitarist/keyboardist Jonny Greenwood also formed the alt-rock band The Smile.
With each of the 20 shows being sold out, the tour demonstrates the undying love people have for the band and the eagerness the fans have for them to return. The residency style of the tour allows devoted fans to watch multiple nights in one city and have great experiences. Limited choices of locations also add to the exclusivity and make the nights even more special. While no new studio album has been officially announced, the tour gives hope to fans that there might be one coming soon.
Student at ERHS, Rosalia Chavez, had this to say about Radiohead returning.
“I haven’t listened to a lot of their stuff, but the stuff I have listened to I liked a lot, but it’s weird that they are not coming to the US,” Chavez said.
Many fans are bummed about the band not coming to the US, but all in all, fans are just excited that they are able to get fresh content from the band again.
This European tour is more than just a series of concerts. It’s a rebirth of the band and a carefully constructed re-entry back into live performances by one of rock’s most talented and influential bands. Fans of the band will continue to watch closely and carefully for what might happen next, and continue to celebrate one of the most proclaimed rock bands returning.
