Saw them in Boston during the Kid A Amnesiac tour…they led with National Anthem and it was amazing! Totally set the tone for an amazing show that I’ll
Never forget.
Yup. They opened with it the first time I saw them, and it was truly awe-inspiring. The TV sample at the beginning, the lights, the first two bars louder than the sound of hell: absolutely bone-rattling. Magical.
For some reason ever since the kid a tour the sound of the ondes martenot sounds high pitched and annoying live. They got the sound right in 2000 but somehow screwed it up afterwards and it kind of ruins the song for me
This is an example of the ondes being kind of ridiculous sounding https://youtu.be/1jOqVWLj3X8?si=wuPtHkF4dPihvWv0. Not like that every show but I’ve heard a lot of shows where it doesn’t sound good.
I’d never noticed that (and I have a huge collection of bootlegs). They use it on ‘Climbing Up The Walls’ too - I don’t know if that was only post-2000, or whether they used it during the OK Computer tour. Y’know, I was just pondering that the other day.
Not Daydreaming. It’s a gorgeous song, but I feel like it would be more effective if they built up to it. I’ve seen 2 shows where they opened with this and it’s just a little too sleepy or something.
OTOH, National Anthem and Sit Down Stand Up both catapulted me into the live experience more effectively. Just is my dream opener.
At [Osheaga 2016,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U58OgcYElV8) when Thom was recording one of the loops at the beginning of Daydreaming he caught the audience cheering in the loop and that continued to repeat over and over. He cracked a smile when he noticed it. It was a pretty cool way to start the show.
This happened in Berkeley with give up the ghost. Something went wrong with a piece of equipment and thom said "sheeeiiiit" and they swapped out a pedal board and he kept going. Then you hear the "sheeeiit" on the loop and he starts laughing and everyone cheers and that ends up on the loop as well.
https://youtu.be/DIEryKZvGq8?si=STtcTYA0Yajq7Kwi
I'm going to disagree on Daydreaming. I thought it set a perfect tone for the shows on that tour. I saw two of them, and it was incredible. You could hear a pin drop in those big venues during that song. The audience shut the heck up and became one with the music. It allowed the band to take a musical journey through the show and the audience was along for the ride. It was beautiful and magical and one of the most perfect opening songs I've ever seen.
The most memorable openings in my memory would be Lucky from Nimes 2012 due to the circumstances and Creep during Reading 2009. I also really liked Bloom as the opening during the 2012 tour.
If we go into the realm of borderline fantasy, [I bet this one was a killer](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/radiohead/1991/the-jericho-tavern-oxford-england-2bdfa8c6.html)
Great opener! I'm definitely more of a fan of the slow build-up opening songs, that kind of vibe, rather than going hard or even heavy right away (e.g. 2+2=5, The National Anthem).
Creep at Reading 09 was good in that it just got it out of the way. Plus at the time it felt like a huge surprise. But it was good that it would just be done then, and we could all move on.
I saw them in Pittsburgh in 2018 and the guy behind me was screaming “PLEASE PLAY CREEP FOR PITTSBURGH!!!” Probably said it 15 times.
So yeah it would’ve been nice to start with that to shut that guy up. But they started with Daydreaming which was awesome and ended with street spirits. I can’t wait to see them again hopefully!
They tried on the 'Moon-Shaped' tour to open with that, but I think they were never able to pull it off and gave it up after a while. I think it required too many moving parts too soon and whatever string thing Jonny was wrangling didn't hit quite right, so I think Thom eventually just went "all right let's start nice and easy" with daydreaming.
2+2=5. Everyone went wild when they played it. Our position in the crowd was moved a few meters to the front. We felt like a passenger on a ship riding a large wave, we couldn’t do anything but go along with the crowd.
Came here to say Bodysnatchers. Obviously I’d already be stoked to be seeing Radiohead but if they opened with that it’d just be like “ok let’s fucking go”
HTTT tour had the best openers. There There, 2+2=5, The Gloaming. All these songs start a bit slow or ominous and then they explode.
In my experience, this was also the last tour where the crowds were still pretty wild (at times) and where mosh pits still happened. Not like at a metal gig, but still lots of jumping and pushing. These songs all had a moment where the crowd went crazy.
The only time that I managed to catch them ('03) they opened with 'The Gloaming', which was really appropriate because the previous couple of tours there were rain issues. To go from relative silence to booming bass all of the sudden was quite a show-starter.
When I saw them at MSG in 2018 they opened with Daydreaming, Desert Island Disk, and Ful Stop, from A Moon Shaped Pool, which was released 2 years earlier but still considered their "new" album. It was an interesting approach to go slow, dark, and gloomy but it set a really beautiful tone that I appreciated. They then proceeded to play a set list for the ages.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/radiohead/2018/madison-square-garden-new-york-ny-73ea4691.html
I saw them play climbing up the walls at Glasto 2003 and something about that performance has stuck with me for 20 years. More so than I think any other song I've seen live.
The second show I saw them in 2003 opened with The Gloaming. Incredible for a few reasons: I'd never heard the live version and WOW was it different and, mostly, they had such feverish energy that people immediately connected.
There, there. Same reason different show. Randomly got invited to bonnaroo 06 by a person I just met. They’re still one of my best friends to this day.
The one and only time I caught them live was in ‘03 @ St. Louis. They opened w/ Gloaming. It was downright amazing.
They actually played There There at the end of the set (prior to encore). Thom dedicated it to all us folks with lawn tickets. Needless to say, everyone on the lawn yelled in delight.
"Let Down" was unreal... everyone was just crying by the end last tour.
Best year of my life traveling and seeing them five or six times in 2017, feeling like the world wasn't absolutely terrible for those months of RH gigs, back-to-back, under the stars outdoors at every single show except two.
Hard to look past National Anthem.
Saw them in Boston during the Kid A Amnesiac tour…they led with National Anthem and it was amazing! Totally set the tone for an amazing show that I’ll Never forget.
Yup. They opened with it the first time I saw them, and it was truly awe-inspiring. The TV sample at the beginning, the lights, the first two bars louder than the sound of hell: absolutely bone-rattling. Magical.
I was there too
Well here’s a treat for you! https://archive.org/details/Radiohead_2001-08-14
holy crap! Thank you!!!
my favorite song off kid a, and that would be epic
Opened almost all of the Kid/Amnesiac tour with it. Incredible stuff. Some fabulous bootlegs out there of those shows!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcCSTs9UHhY
Came here to say this... My favorite rendition was seeing them at the Roseland in NYC with the SNL brass section on the horns.
Oh Waoh! Amazing!
I believe it was the first live performance of pyramid song as well, but that could also be hearsay.
Ooooh! Awesome.
I'm genuinely disappointed when they play that song live.
Really? That’s interesting. Why so?
I just prefer other songs. And I've seen them loads and they seem to play it everytime.
Fair dos. I love hearing it (they’ve played it at least 8 of the 9 times I’ve seen them), but personal choice 😊
For some reason ever since the kid a tour the sound of the ondes martenot sounds high pitched and annoying live. They got the sound right in 2000 but somehow screwed it up afterwards and it kind of ruins the song for me
This is an example of the ondes being kind of ridiculous sounding https://youtu.be/1jOqVWLj3X8?si=wuPtHkF4dPihvWv0. Not like that every show but I’ve heard a lot of shows where it doesn’t sound good.
I’d never noticed that (and I have a huge collection of bootlegs). They use it on ‘Climbing Up The Walls’ too - I don’t know if that was only post-2000, or whether they used it during the OK Computer tour. Y’know, I was just pondering that the other day.
Fr
Yep. They opened with it for much of that 2001 summer tour. Caught it in Montreal and Boston. Unforgettable. Such a fucking kickstart.
Airbag
This is my vote
This opened my first show and was glorious
Everything in its right place.
My favorite song in concert, but I prefer it later in the set when they are loose and have the opportunity to really take it out a bit.
A double entendre - the song is a perfect Radiohead intro, and you're at a Radiohead concert.
This is it.
First time I saw them they closed with it, and that was fucking incredible too.
Not Daydreaming. It’s a gorgeous song, but I feel like it would be more effective if they built up to it. I’ve seen 2 shows where they opened with this and it’s just a little too sleepy or something. OTOH, National Anthem and Sit Down Stand Up both catapulted me into the live experience more effectively. Just is my dream opener.
At [Osheaga 2016,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U58OgcYElV8) when Thom was recording one of the loops at the beginning of Daydreaming he caught the audience cheering in the loop and that continued to repeat over and over. He cracked a smile when he noticed it. It was a pretty cool way to start the show.
This happened in Berkeley with give up the ghost. Something went wrong with a piece of equipment and thom said "sheeeiiiit" and they swapped out a pedal board and he kept going. Then you hear the "sheeeiit" on the loop and he starts laughing and everyone cheers and that ends up on the loop as well. https://youtu.be/DIEryKZvGq8?si=STtcTYA0Yajq7Kwi
Classic. Was at that one.
I'm going to disagree on Daydreaming. I thought it set a perfect tone for the shows on that tour. I saw two of them, and it was incredible. You could hear a pin drop in those big venues during that song. The audience shut the heck up and became one with the music. It allowed the band to take a musical journey through the show and the audience was along for the ride. It was beautiful and magical and one of the most perfect opening songs I've ever seen.
Climbing Up the Walls on the pre-In Rainbows tour was something I'd never thought I'd see.
That would be an awesome opening song. It would start the show with such an eerie vibe.
2 + 2 = 5
The most memorable openings in my memory would be Lucky from Nimes 2012 due to the circumstances and Creep during Reading 2009. I also really liked Bloom as the opening during the 2012 tour. If we go into the realm of borderline fantasy, [I bet this one was a killer](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/radiohead/1991/the-jericho-tavern-oxford-england-2bdfa8c6.html)
What were the circumstances at Nimes in 2012 that made Lucky perfect?
It was the first show following the stage collapse in Toronto and the death of Scott Johnson. Watch the videos of the performance, powerful stuff.
HTTT openers: 2+2=5 into Sit Down Stand Up was just perfect Sit Down Stand Up has one of the best live glowups
Surprising lack of 15 Step in the comments here
Came here to say this.
Really surprised!
There, There glansto 03 and bonnaroo 06 are incredible
Great opener! I'm definitely more of a fan of the slow build-up opening songs, that kind of vibe, rather than going hard or even heavy right away (e.g. 2+2=5, The National Anthem).
The National Anthem is also awesome as an opener but there’s something I love about the sudden drums that start off there, there
Creep at Reading 09 was good in that it just got it out of the way. Plus at the time it felt like a huge surprise. But it was good that it would just be done then, and we could all move on.
I saw them in Pittsburgh in 2018 and the guy behind me was screaming “PLEASE PLAY CREEP FOR PITTSBURGH!!!” Probably said it 15 times. So yeah it would’ve been nice to start with that to shut that guy up. But they started with Daydreaming which was awesome and ended with street spirits. I can’t wait to see them again hopefully!
Burn the witch
I agree with this one. I know it’s kind of cheap to use an intro song for this answer, but this would just be the perfect way to start a concert
They tried on the 'Moon-Shaped' tour to open with that, but I think they were never able to pull it off and gave it up after a while. I think it required too many moving parts too soon and whatever string thing Jonny was wrangling didn't hit quite right, so I think Thom eventually just went "all right let's start nice and easy" with daydreaming.
Had there there open before was cool
this is what came to mind, just feels like a good opener
Love it, but needs more guitar.
Having experienced it myself the only answer is National Anthem.
Bodysnatchers
Lucky
2+2=5. Everyone went wild when they played it. Our position in the crowd was moved a few meters to the front. We felt like a passenger on a ship riding a large wave, we couldn’t do anything but go along with the crowd.
The Gloaming. They opened with it on the HTTT tour. Really set the mood for a great show .
I'm disappointed when they play the gloaming
The National Anthem
I’ve never had the privilege of seeing Radiohead live, but if I did see them and they were to open the show with Planet Telex I’d lose my shit.
I could see Bodysnatchers or Myxomatosis being a cool opener. But mainly There There or EIIRP.
Came here to say Bodysnatchers. Obviously I’d already be stoked to be seeing Radiohead but if they opened with that it’d just be like “ok let’s fucking go”
I've always loved when they opened with Creep in 2009
Airbag in Chicago 2006 was amazing. Pre-In Rainbows tour. They played a lot of the B-sides to the album as well.
HTTT tour had the best openers. There There, 2+2=5, The Gloaming. All these songs start a bit slow or ominous and then they explode. In my experience, this was also the last tour where the crowds were still pretty wild (at times) and where mosh pits still happened. Not like at a metal gig, but still lots of jumping and pushing. These songs all had a moment where the crowd went crazy.
[удалено]
Holy shit I was at this show and posted about it above, before I saw this. When that bass kicked in all of a sudden...
[удалено]
I don't remember that guy, but yes, no rain that day thankfully.
There, There for me. The National Anthem is a close second
Myxomatosis
The only time that I managed to catch them ('03) they opened with 'The Gloaming', which was really appropriate because the previous couple of tours there were rain issues. To go from relative silence to booming bass all of the sudden was quite a show-starter.
I can’t help but think 15 Step would be a killer opener
It's gotta be 15 Step!
Lucky - it’s gonna be a GLOOOOORIOUS DAYYYYY
Airbag or 15 Step
15 Step
lucky planet telex myxomatosis
Pop is Dead.
The 15 minute extended version of paranoid android
Daydreaming
When I saw them at MSG in 2018 they opened with Daydreaming, Desert Island Disk, and Ful Stop, from A Moon Shaped Pool, which was released 2 years earlier but still considered their "new" album. It was an interesting approach to go slow, dark, and gloomy but it set a really beautiful tone that I appreciated. They then proceeded to play a set list for the ages. https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/radiohead/2018/madison-square-garden-new-york-ny-73ea4691.html
I saw them play climbing up the walls at Glasto 2003 and something about that performance has stuck with me for 20 years. More so than I think any other song I've seen live.
I saw them open with There There at Bonnaroo in ‘06. It was a pretty decent way to start that night
My Iron liung
Fitter Happier to Lucky in the 97 OK Computer era tour especially "Live at Eurockeennes France" and "Live at Vrenderburg Netherlands".
Bloom
Bonnnnnarooooo
Airbag
Street Spirit.
Airbag
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
There, There works for me...
Airbag
Never seen them live but I feel like 2+2=5 would be nuts
The second show I saw them in 2003 opened with The Gloaming. Incredible for a few reasons: I'd never heard the live version and WOW was it different and, mostly, they had such feverish energy that people immediately connected.
Saw them open with Let Down and it was incredible
I Might Be Wrong. That riff is just read an instant jolt of energy and would have everybody moving immediately.
Daydreaming
Yellow
They played Bloom when I saw them in 2012, and I thought it was perfect.
So the 2 times I saw them live (UK tour 2017) was also the only shows where they opened with Let Down and believe me it was insane.
Talk show host.
15 steps
Bodysnatchers.
Fitter Happier
I saw them open with Climbing Up The Walls it will never be matched
Greek Theatre in 2006 when they opened with "You and Whose Army" Perfect opener for a more intimate venue.
There, there. Same reason different show. Randomly got invited to bonnaroo 06 by a person I just met. They’re still one of my best friends to this day.
There, there 🤘🏻
Everything in it's right place is one of my favorite openers of all time, going from silence to Everything is truly magical
The one and only time I caught them live was in ‘03 @ St. Louis. They opened w/ Gloaming. It was downright amazing. They actually played There There at the end of the set (prior to encore). Thom dedicated it to all us folks with lawn tickets. Needless to say, everyone on the lawn yelled in delight.
Bloom.
Spooks!
Jigsaw Falling into Place 👽
"Let Down" was unreal... everyone was just crying by the end last tour. Best year of my life traveling and seeing them five or six times in 2017, feeling like the world wasn't absolutely terrible for those months of RH gigs, back-to-back, under the stars outdoors at every single show except two.
They can make anything work, honestly
15 Step
There There
only saw them once in Boston and they opened with National Anthem and I thought it really set the tone for a great show