Comes crashing down
I'm dancing
Freaking out
Deaf, dumb, and blind"
Two posts in a row with my world famous "outside the arena" photos. I'm guessing we all know by now how awful pictures usually turn out while a show is going on. And when are you really going to watch that 30 second clip of your favorite song? As I slip into my "get off my lawn phase" I do find it difficult desiring to attend live shows. Whether it's the person in front of you holding their phone up every minute or the people behind you screaming at the top of their lungs to have a conversation. Come on everyone, why are you here? For every bad crowd you still stumble upon that one audience that is following all the unwritten rules and soaking up the experience as the artist meant to share it. And it's those once in a while crowds that keep me wanting to go back for more. Although it was in quite a large room this performance had one of those audiences. This show took place back in July 2018. It was another one of those amazing NYC weekends. I was able to get secondhand tickets a week or so before the event. I was a Radiohead novice of sorts before the show. I had a few of the albums and was familiar with the "hits." My interest re sparked with the band due to the film score work of Jonny Greenwood (the band's multi instrumental savant) specifically 2017's Phantom Thread soundtrack.
It's rare for me to go to see a movie twice during its initial run but Phantom Thread was one of those films.(Had another one this past summer with Once Upon A Time in Hollywood) The acting and directing were phenomenal with the score weaving in and out with it's powerful presence. Sometimes menacing but also loving, mourning, and melancholy all at once. For two hours I was able to escape into the obsessive world of Reynolds Woodcock. Well lucky for me some of those musical elements bled into the album that Radiohead was touring on, A Moon Shaped Pool. This album has some of the electronic elements found on previous recordings but also included Greenwood's string arrangements. The show was a blast. Just being able to see a concert at MSG was a thrill for me and as mentioned earlier the crowd was into it and hung on every word. The high ceiling of this colossal room felt like an intimate theater. After the show I went back and swallowed up all the older albums that I had missed out on. (I'd say I revisit this one and In Rainbows the most)
So check out A Moon Shaped Pool when you get a chance. (Or sit down and watch Phantom Thread.) Could be a perfect lazy Sunday afternoon listen. My favorite lyrics are the ones above from this tune. I love the duality of being terrified by a situation yet finding time to celebrate. (Today's celebration came from recreating Clinton Street Baking Co's blueberry pancake's for breakfast) Thanks for reading, till next time.
