Thom Yorke elevates to the home on high at once, then he navigates us through the surrealistic land and soundscape, himself as the vulnerable avatar.
The celebrated and driven leader of Radiohead makes his first appearance in New Zealand as a solo artist. Last here at least 12 years ago with the band, this is his Thom Yorke: Everything show.
Music from the soul in all its myriad kaleidoscopic forms.
The show kicks off with Eraser, lead track off his first solo album. There’s a slightly discordant piano which adds spice. His stratospherically high signature falsetto comes immediately to the fore. Blue-eyed choir boy Soul.
We haven’t seen him without a band in this country, but he has a stack of equipment around him. Keyboards, synths, guitars, probably bass, gadgets. Looping gives an orchestral sound.
He does move interestingly, but he’s no real dancer, as per Springsteen. (Or the Beatles).
The graphics are incredible art installations in their own right. His image is constantly dissolving and reforming in pixels. Abstract art mimicking contemporary dance. Laser lights dance, but strobe effects are eschewed. That’s good.
Followed by first Radiohead song, Let Down from OK Computer. Over a third in the setlist are from the original band.
Starts with a gentle acoustic ringing Folk guitar. It is bleak lyrically, but his vocal style has distinct echoes to classic Fifties Doo-Wop.
Melodic synth-driven solo instrumentalist matched to a white soul voice is Suicide. The group and not the act. The deep roots of that music are vocal R’n’B groups, as it was for Lou Reed and Velvet Underground.
Dream Baby Dream has the melodic cycling drone which sounds celestial.
What Yorke does not do is go down the nerve-shredding side of Frankie Teardrop. He does but in a disguised and palatable way. Not one to kick you in the head repeatedly like Alan Vega.
The song which boils over into brilliance is Kid A, encapsulating the above. Carnival keyboards (Captain Spaulding’s devilish side-show) and dreamy synths. The bells of Phil Spector through to Jesus and Mary chain and then continues out into the mystic.
The land of heaven becomes a multi-verse. Cannot be stressed how important the visuals contribute. Firework, flames and mist would cheapen it. A Modern Art installation in its own right.
Electronica and Techno dance music has equal importance.
Pakt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box is a Radiohead song where machine Funk heads into World music in similar fashion to Talking Head’s Remain in Light.
His solo work delved deeper, as he felt unfettered from the restrictions of the group meeting approach.
Immersing himself in Aphex Twins and Autechre, and as the professional drummer sitting next me keeps reminding, huge swags of Kraftwerk.
Back in the Game. Add in some Afrika Bambaataa with that too.
Not the News. Deep bass drops, sci-fi dance of Eno and Byrnes bush of ghosts.
Truth Ray. Machine music with the mama heartbeat.
Yorke had periods of existential crises with the success of Radiohead. He had to deal with the only two tragedies in life. Not getting what you want. And getting what you want.
He grew up with the dream to become a Rock’n’Roll star. The greatest curse can be wishes that gets bestowed.
Periods of hitting the alcohol. He felt the creative urge vanish. Walking around the moors, valleys and cliffs of Cornwall awaiting the muse to return.
There were times he absolutely hated being on stage with his band. But with the resurrection did come other collaborations
Atoms For Peace he formed with bass guitarist Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) to play the initial solo work. Later came The Smile when he worked with Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood.
He has delved into movie soundtracks, memorably writing one for Suspiria (2018), and most recently Confidenza (2024).
The song Atoms for Peace tonight, reminiscent of Doors and Sixties trash keyboards, incorporating washes of pressure waves.
Disco gets a nod with The Clock (from The Eraser). Rockabilly riffs aplenty and the dance tempo comes in at halfway.
Cymbal Rush is a stunner for the first encore. Computer beeps and the voice is off high with celestial Doo-Wop. Then imagine Kraftwerk as post-Surf music, if you can.
Lucky finishes it with a slower tempo Indie Folk, and Thom Yorke finishes his Everything masterwork to rapturous applause.
Rev. Orange Peel
Thom Yorke plays a final show tonight, Saturday 26 October, at Spark Arena. Tickets still available at Ticketmaster and Spark Arena.
Click any icon to open a gallery of gorgeous images by Jennifer de Koning
