Concert Review: Radiohead At Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, 08/04/08

After four long years the innovative rock act Radiohead decided to make a stop at Blossom Music Center before their adoring Ohio fans.  It was no surprise that the show was sold out, as many in Ohio and the surrounding states planned this special day months in advance knowing that the band rarely tours. Rumors of Radiohead touring were finally laid to rest at the end of February, when the band announded their second leg of the North American tour.

Sold out crowds mean traffic jams, and I am pleased to say that with the help of Google Maps I avoided the mile-plus long backup that filled up Route 8.  Parking the car and walking almost a mile to the coveted amphitheater did not get my spirits down as I was excited to be seeing Radiohead for the fourth time in my life. This was their third time returning to Blossom Music Center in the last seven years.

One thing I admired about the show is that it was “green.”  The beers were served in biodegradable cups made form corn, and the merch was made from recycled materials.  I opted out from dropping $40 on a T-shirt formed from plastic bottles, but did spend some money on a container made from recycled aluminum material.  The container stated “Radiohead Tour 2008 H2O” and posted the amount of water bottles that are sold every year (18 million).  I thought it was a good keepsake, and at the same time my personal small way to help the envoirnment.

I barely obtained a ticket this year (and yet again it was a lawn seat), but I was OK with that and so were the rest of the people around me.  Opening act Grizzly Bear tried to entertain the crowd, but their music just was not providing the energy to everyone.  Some fans sang along to the indie sounding band from Brooklyn, NY, while others mocked them.  Still, they seemed honored to be touring with such an influential band.

The sun set showcasing a beautiful partly cloudy sky when Radiohead took the stage.  The band opened with “15 Step” from their latest, pay-what-you-feel-like album In Rainbows.  The light show behind the band was their best yet in my opinion, with what looked like reflective bars with a media screen behind them.

It was not until the band started playing “Pyramid Song” that I realized how lucky I was to be stuck in this crowd of people.  Looking around I saw hippies, punk rockers, families, and the occasional scenester all collected on a hilly lawn on a warmer than normal summer evening.  I smiled because I knew that even though it was my fourth time getting to see them live, they still enthralled me.  I also admired the looks on the faces of the fans that clearly were attending their first Radiohead experience.

Article Author: Brian McConville

A music lover for life, this former punk rock super hero has finally slowed down a little and accepted the fact that he is a better listener of music than a performer. Brian operates his own blogging website www.brokenheadphones.com in his spare …

Visit Brian McConville's author page — Brian McConville's Blog