Lead
At the Madrid opening night of Radiohead’s new tour, the band performed a fluid, nostalgia-leaning set while visibly navigating internal tension and external controversy. This is the first extensive run they’ve undertaken without fresh recorded material since their debut more than 30 years ago, and members have publicly acknowledged uncertainty about the band’s future. The evening alternated between loose, visceral power and moments of tentative rustiness, ending on a united, euphoric note. Outside pressure—from a boycott call by BDS to press-access disputes reported by national outlets—framed the show as much as the music itself.
Key takeaways
- Radiohead opened their tour in Madrid with a shifting 65-song rehearsal pool guiding an unpredictable setlist; the published show featured 26 songs including an eight-song encore.
- The band is touring with no new or recent album for the first time in over 30 years, having released only two studio albums after 2007’s In Rainbows (2011, 2016).
- Interpersonal strain is public: a recent Sunday Times interview reported no immediate plans for new songs and Ed O’Brien saying he nearly left the group.
- BDS publicly urged a boycott of shows over the band’s stance on Israel and Jonny Greenwood’s collaborations; media access disputes were reported around the Madrid date.
- Musically, the set juxtaposed hits like “Let Down” and “Paranoid Android” with deep cuts; In Rainbows and Hail to the Thief-era material appeared to energize the group most.
- Production favored a central circular stage with wrap-around screens; initial alienation from heavy visuals gave way to crowd approval when the band was fully visible.
Background
Radiohead’s trajectory has been one of steady reinvention since their early 1990s breakthrough. The band earned a reputation for pushing sonic and technological boundaries across albums and tours; that legacy has set high expectations for any current activity. In recent years their recorded output slowed—since 2007’s In Rainbows they have issued two studio albums—while members pursued solo projects and other collaborations, altering the group’s routine and public profile.
Those off-stage pursuits and slower creative pace intersect with public controversies. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has criticized the band for what it called “complicit silence,” specifically citing Jonny Greenwood’s collaborative work with Dudu Tassa. At the same time, reporting in national newspapers has highlighted interpersonal distance among members and unclear plans beyond the current tour. That mix—artistic pause, political scrutiny, and private strain—shaped expectations for the Madrid concerts.
Main event
The Madrid show opened with a burst of recognition as the band eased into “Let Down,” a track that has regained cultural life in recent social-media cycles. Visually, the group was encased in wrap-around projection screens that filmed and abstracted them; that design initially created a sense of detachment before shifting to reveal the musicians and draw cheers. Early moments included jagged, high-energy sequences—“2+2=5” and “Sit Down. Stand Up.”—that revealed occasional timing lapses but delivered substantial sonic weight via deep sub-bass and powerful drumming.
As the set progressed, the band moved between tempos and eras: a euphoric “Lucky,” a more ponderous “Ful Stop,” and the anxious momentum of “The Gloaming.” A standout stretch combined the aggression of “Myxomatosis” with the melancholy of “No Surprises” into “Videotape,” then into the intricate momentum of “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi.” The group’s ability to lock into complex rhythms proved impressive across these numbers, producing both delicate textures and eruptive climaxes.
Performances from In Rainbows and Hail to the Thief registered as especially galvanizing, with frontman Thom Yorke delivering physical, visceral engagement and the band trading off leads confidently. In the encore, older staples like “Fake Plastic Trees” read as heartfelt but somewhat symbolic; the climax came with “Paranoid Android” and a percussive flourish when Greenwood and Ed O’Brien joined Selway and touring drummer Chris Vatalaro behind multiple kits for “There, There.” The finale, “Karma Police,” closed the night with a compact, celebratory unity that suggested reconnection.
Analysis & implications
Artistically, touring without new material forces Radiohead into a retrospective posture, which can feel both celebratory and precarious. Their large catalogue gives them latitude—fans welcomed deep cuts as readily as hits—but lack of recent releases reframes each performance as either a reaffirmation of legacy or a reminder of creative pause. The band’s choice to rehearse albums from The Bends onward and build a 65-song pool signals careful curation rather than improvisational drift.
Interpersonal dynamics are central to the tour’s narrative. Reports that some members have gone years without speaking and that O’Brien contemplated leaving point to strains that can influence onstage chemistry and long-term viability. The circular stage appears deliberately intimate, an attempt to foster proximity and mutual support while sidestepping trappings of arena spectacle; that setup may help stabilize the group in the short term but does not resolve underlying questions about future collaboration.
Politically, the BDS boycott call and media-access disputes complicate the band’s public image and create reputational headwinds. Whether these challenges materially affect ticket sales or future bookings is unclear, but they do add friction to a tour that otherwise might have been framed solely as a musical event. For promoters and venues, booking a high-profile band amid protest calls and press controversy requires careful risk management and communications planning.
Comparison & data
| Album | Year | Gap from previous |
|---|---|---|
| In Rainbows | 2007 | — |
| The King of Limbs | 2011 | 4 years |
| A Moon Shaped Pool | 2016 | 5 years |
The band has released two studio albums after 2007’s In Rainbows (2011 and 2016), and this tour is being mounted without a recent record to promote. That context helps explain the setlist strategy—leaning on an expansive back catalogue and the rehearsal pool of 65 songs—rather than a forward-facing rollout tied to new material. For listeners, the format permits a variable night-to-night experience; for the band, it removes the obligation to present a cohesive new era.
Reactions & quotes
Press and activist reactions framed the tour in political terms as well as artistic ones. The following excerpts illustrate the public statements shaping coverage.
“Complicit silence.”
BDS (campaign group)
Context: BDS urged a boycott of shows citing the band’s lack of public criticism of Israeli government policy and citing collaborators’ alleged past performances for military audiences. The movement’s phrasing has driven coverage and protest calls around several dates on the tour.
“He almost quit.”
The Sunday Times (national newspaper)
Context: A recent newspaper interview reported Ed O’Brien saying he had considered leaving the band, and that members expressed uncertainty about producing new material soon. That reporting has shaped narratives about Radiohead’s interpersonal state ahead of the tour.
“Journalists were blocked from receiving tickets to review the Madrid concert.”
The Guardian (national newspaper)
Context: Reporting in The Guardian said some press access was restricted after earlier coverage of boycott calls; the outlet characterized the development as a reduction in review access for its journalists. The sequence and causes of those restrictions remain contested.
Unconfirmed
- Direct causation between the BDS boycott call and any specific press ticketing or accreditation decision has not been independently verified.
- Reports that some band members have not spoken in years are based on interviews and third-party reporting and have not been corroborated by all members.
- Claims about Dudu Tassa performing for members of the IDF are those made by BDS and require further independent verification of dates and contexts.
Bottom line
Radiohead’s Madrid show underlined a band that still commands emotional and sonic power, even while negotiating slowed creative output and fraught internal dynamics. Musically the group delivered moments of high cohesion and renewed energy, especially on material from In Rainbows and Hail to the Thief, but occasional timing issues and a retrospective program highlighted the absence of a forward artistic thrust.
Externally, activist pressure and press disputes have added a political dimension to the tour’s reception that the band will need to manage carefully. The circular stage and moments of onstage closeness suggest an attempt to rebuild connection; whether this leads to sustained creative momentum or a finite farewell arc remains to be seen. For now, the tour reads as a complex, resentful-hopeful chapter in an unusually long-running band career.
Sources
- Pitchfork (music magazine: concert review)
- The Sunday Times (national newspaper: interview reporting — paywalled)
- The Guardian (national newspaper: reporting on press access)
- BDS Movement (campaign group: public statements)