According to no less an authority than Mr. David Fricke and Rolling Stone (in the words of Frank Zappa, "aren't they some kind of authority on these matters?"), "The best live band in rock played its greatest concert ever on June 17th, 2006, at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival." (Well, at least since Glastonbury '97 or '03, their previous greatest concerts ever.) I saw them at the Greek Theatre here in L.A. about two weeks after Bonnaroo, and I must say it was rather epic indeed.Thom Yorke apparently agrees with Mr. Fricke's assessment; not long after the gig, Yorke spoke of an official DVD release:
"We did this festival called Bonnaroo. We did 2.5 hours. And there's 80,000 people; admittedly they've been smoking the sticky green all day – probably wouldn't go anywhere anyway. It was just amazing. We played loads of new stuff. We did whole sections of quiet piano songs and it sounds like the most grotesque, self-indulgent nonsense, but it probably is my favorite gig for years and years and years. It was a really mellow evening. Actually it's all been filmed, but we're sitting on it because there's loads of new stuff on it...because we're mean like that. It will come out eventually."
Until that time, I have dutifully scraped this up for you – and it weren't easy. (Thanks to I Guess I'm Floating.)
It's a solid audience recording, with the best sound quality that can be expected from a tape rolling right next to some dude's hairy beanbag...in the sweat, heat, mud and miasma of reeking hippies and delirious hipsters...not to mention the beef-brain frat boys who, during the contemplative quiet of "Exit Music (For a Film)," have to remind everyone in earshot that the band is "RADIOHEAD!" and the festival is "BONNAROO!" Amazing they don't yell "CREEP!" too, which would be major truth in advertising. Yes, gents, whenever there's a quiet bit and you get fidgety, by all means fill the space with your own loud, obnoxious voices.
Oh well, that’s what happens when drunk Young Republicans get lost on the way to the NASCAR track and end up at a rock concert. When GreenAlienChick is king, they will be first against the wall...
But I digress. So! One of the world's best bands in their official Best Show Ever, with good sound and a big 28-song setlist (though lacking "Creep" and my all-time fave rave, "Subterrenean Homesick Alien"). Certainly sufficient until the aforementioned magical DVD comes along, whenever that might be.
Is it wind noise, or is it thunder...?
RADIOHEAD
Bonnaroo Music Festival - Manchester, TN - June 17, 2006 (AUD)
DOWNLOAD 1 / DOWNLOAD 2
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