Come Together: OK Computer – Civic Theatre, 18 July 2026

Come Together ’s choice of Radiohead’s atmospheric OK Computer is a distinct departure from the group’s previous performances. Previously we’ve been treated to boomer classic artists – Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, The Beatles. And the iconic albums full of anthems with a distinct singalong, party vibe.

OK Computer drops us in the sea of Gens X and Y angst. Declared a classic on its debut in 1997, it’s an immersion into dystopian despair, the experience of depression where joy, rage and even hope are impossible. Painfully beautiful and intimate. How could this possibly translate to the Come Together experience?

It doesn’t. There’s no sense of jubilation, triumph and long-crafted showmanship. Minimal artist-audience interaction. This is not a celebration of youth and optimism. Nor is it a blatant showcase for kiwi talent. Most of the artists came of age when OK Computer topped the charts: and their performances reflected reverence, respect and awe of the material they were performing.

Come Together made the risky decision to recreate the Radiohead concert experience. This could have been simply awful. It was glorious!

The band stepped onto the still dark stage and the familiar opening bass-line of Airbag rumbled through the Civic settling over the hushed audience and Josh Braden’s clear tenor bent itself to a near-perfect replication of Thom Yorke’s, settling the audience’s expectation. He continued with Paranoid Android, vocal accompaniment to the band’s delicate instrumentation as it built tension to the song’s terrifying crescendo.

Seamus Johson stepped to the mic for Subterranean Homesick Alien embodying the homage to alienation and isolation.

As Milan Borich took the stage, I couldn’t help but wonder how he could possibly transform his distinctive voice so it resembled Thom Yorke’s. He didn’t. The phrasing was spot-on, but he brought pure power to the ominous desolation of Exit Music (For a Film), yielding raucous cheers from the otherwise sedate audience.

Moving into the meat of the album, Seamus Johnson and Josh Braden duetted on Let Down, passionate despair that soared.

Milan Borich returned for Karma Police, his growling baritone almost menacing – to audience approval.

Fitter Happier, was a gloomy break, leading into politically charged Electioneering with Seamus Johnson and stalking Big Brother-ish Cimbing Up the Walls with Milan Borich. Two paeans to the helplessness of humanity in the modern world, the nadir of the album.

In contrast No Surprises’s lilting melody and withdrawn lyrics voiced by Josh Braden almost felt uplifting. The audience swayed.

Milan Borich gave us a glimmer of hope on Lucky. Followed by Seamus Johnson on The Tourist, closing the album out with its admonition, “Idiot, slow down…”

The audience clapped, a few cheers, a couple of whoops. But they were where the album had brought them – in 1997 and 2026. To a particular kind of speechless awe. I’d noticed a few people around me during the performance, eyes closed, mouthing every word, as if they were lost in prayer.

Time for intermission.

The second half of Come Together shows are always more about fun, as director Jol Mulholland curates a selection of the original artist’s material, the hits and the deep cuts, spanning their entire career. He wisely opted to open this second half with the more optimistic Planet Telex and Optimistic which shifted the mood. And when Milan Borich stepped up for Street Spirit (Fade Out) the crowd was on its feet. The Bends with Seamus Johnson kept them there. The non-interactive spell was broken as Josh Braden invited the audience to sing along on True Love Waits.

We were then treated to an eclectic mix of the band’s greatest hits interspersed with their more experimental art-rock songs.

The encore capped the night with Milan Borich taking the lead on Just and Seamus Johnson bringing down the house with Creep. The perfect, if obvious, close to an exquisite night of Radiohead.

Veronica McLaughlin

All photos by Greg Haver

Setlist

OK COMPUTER

1. Airbag– Josh Braden
2. Paranoid Android– Josh Braden
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien– Seamus Johnson
4. Exit Music (For a Film)– Milan Borich
5. Let Down– Seamus Johnson & Josh Braden
6. Karma Police– Milan Borich
7. Fitter Happier– prerecorded vocal with band live
8. Electioneering– Seamus Johnson
9. Climbing Up the Walls– Milan Borich
10. No Surprises– Josh Braden
11. Lucky– Milan Borich
12. The Tourist– Seamus Johnson

INTERMISSION

1. Planet Telex– Seamus Johnson
2. Optimistic– Josh Braden
3. Street Spirit (Fade Out)– Milan Borich
4. The Bends– Seamus Johnson
5. True Love Waits– Josh Braden
6. Fake Plastic Trees– Mike Hall
7. How to Disappear Completely– Josh Braden
8. 2 + 2 = 5– Mike Hall, Seamus Johnson
9. Jigsaw Falling Into Place– Seamus Johnson
10. The Daily Mail– Jol Mulholland
11. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi– Seamus Johnson
12. My Iron Lung– Milan Borich
13. There There– Milan Borich
14. The National Anthem– Brett Adams with Milan Borich and Alistair Deverick on trombone

ENCORE

1. Just– Milan Borich
2. Creep– Seamus Johnson