Radiohead, 1st Bank Center, March 13, 2012

Jenn Cohen | April 1, 2012 | 0 Comments

by Allison Diekhoff

I don’t have to tell you that Radiohead is one hot ticket. Let the review begin… Radiohead transformed the 1^st Bank Center on March 13^th, making the approximately 6,000-capacity venue feel like a festival of Coachella-sized proportions. The stage: massive. The lights: amazing. It was all I could do not to keep from talking a million miles a minute in excited anticipation of their set. Other Lives opened, sounding remarkably more like Radiohead than they do on their album.

Radiohead took the stage for two hours and fifteen minutes, a very courteous length of time for those who have had to wait eleven years to see them play again, or for the first time (Radiohead has not played Colorado since 2001 when they played Red Rocks). The set list consisted of 23 songs, most of which were from In Rainbows and King of Limbs, but they threw in a few older songs including “Idioteque” and “National Anthem” from Kid A, “Karma Police” and “Lucky” from OK Computer, and “Street Spirit (Fade Out)” from The Bends. There were two encores that were timed just right, and ended with applause for the crowd (those British gents are so polite).

As for the “hot ticket” aspect, I had feared a crowd of vultures would swoop in when the doors finally opened to the 1^st Bank Center. The line wrapped around the block because all of the seats were general admission–a band that sells out two pre-sales and a general on-sale within seconds will do that. Then again, those who put in the effort for the presale, and those who end up paying ridiculous amounts for tickets from scalpers, are the ones who really care about the band, and genuinely want to enjoy the show. Thus, no vultures. I actually did not encounter any rude people; in fact, everyone I spoke with was very pleasant and polite. And as for bears, I did see a few of those… (wink wink).

www.Radiohead.com

Tags: 1st bank center, radiohead, colorado, red rocks, allsion diekhoff, coachella, other lives, in rainbows, king of llimbs, idioteque, national anthem, kid a, karma police, lucky, ok computer, street spirit, the bends