The whole night still seems like a blur. Maybe that’s what it’s like being in the jet set. You fly in, do what you came to do, and fly back out. As such, you don’t really have time to process what you saw or heard. Maybe it’s because you spent too much time worrying about making it to the airport on time. And so you sit at your computer, trying to recall the night’s events. You know you saw a great show from one the world’s most influential and acclaimed bands (you’ve got the ticket stub to prove it), but it still seems like it happened to someone else.

Perhaps I should back up a little bit. You see, I wasn’t planning on going to see Radiohead at first. I didn’t feel right asking for more time off right after getting back from Cornerstone. Maybe I’ve been in the corporate world too long, but it seemed a little… irresponsible. But then I found out we could get cheap airline tickets, fly to Chicago the day of the show, fly back the next morning, and only miss 1 day of work. It was just too good to pass up. And besides, carpe diem and all that. Of course, that ease just added to the transience of the whole thing, since it required no planning on my part. In fact, I didn’t even give it a second thought until the day before.

The 4 of us arrived in Chicago on time and promptly made our way to Arvey Field. It was easy enough to find the concert; we just needed to follow the masses of people making their way across the streets. After navigating our way through the throngs, we found to a good spot to sit until the concert’s start.

First up was The Beta Band. My only exposure to these guys was in the movie High Fidelity, and I’d liked what I’d heard. However, their live show was rather tedious. Lots of incessant, “trippy” jamming that was just a little too close to Phish territory for my liking. Even their “fuck MTV” rant was lame and pretentious. There’s nothing like a band that tries to make a point by stating the obvious. Thankfully, they realized that noone was there to see them and played a short set.

Kid Koala, on the other hand, didn’t play long enough. I’d never heard any of his stuff before, but I think I need too pick up his CD as soon as possible. Spinning on 3 turntables, Koala focused on setting a fun, upbeat groove that showed off his restraint and mixing skills, rather than mad scratching skills (though he definitely has those as well). Any DJ who can throw Tears For Fears into their mix and not fall on their face gets some bonus points from me. The crowd really got into the set, and as could be seen on the huge videoscreens adorning the stage, so did Koala.

After what seemed like an eternity of ragtime repeated ad nauseum over the PA, Radiohead took the stage and immediately took over the night. I’ll spare you any euphemisms; if you’ve read any music rags over the past few months, you know that Radiohead has enough accolades to last them well into their “Where Are They Now?” years. No, I didn’t feel like I was seeing the “future of rock” unfold before me. With all of the press that’s been built up around them, all of the endless praise and critical acclaim (some of it fairly ludicrous), it was nice to see that Radiohead is, in fact, 5 blokes who just love their music.

I loved watching Thom interact with the crowd via the videoscreens. It was obvious that Colin was enjoying himself up there, grooving harder than any of the others. I wished I had more money to spend on musical gear as I watched Johnny coax amazing sounds from archaic keyboards and musical gizmos. I watched in amazement as Radiohead pulled off their abstract Kid A material ("Everything In It’s Right Place”, “Idioteque") with more ease than their more “straightforward” material. And when Thom forgot the words or Phil dropped the beat… well, it pulled away the curtain and showed that these are real live human beings who put their pants on like everyone else.

Of course the crowd loved it. I was standing about 7 feet away from a guy who looked like he was about to explode into a million pieces of happiness. And listening to thousands of people sing along to “Fake Plastic Trees”, I had to wonder what kind of electricity was coursing through Radiohead’s veins at that moment. After 3 encores, and closing with stunning versions of “True Love Waits” and “Street Spirit”, it was time to leave… and find a place to eat.

We finally found an open restaurant, and I ordered the “Garbage Salad” (I found out the reason for its charming name when I woke up in the morning). We slept in a medieval dungeon, took the Orange Line to the airport, sprinted through the terminal, and left change behind at the metal detectors. We left Chicago just as it started to rain and missed out on the downpour. I walked back into work at 9:30am, less than 22 hours hours after I left. And if it weren’t for the ticket stub in my wallet, I’d still think the whole thing was a hallucination.

Maybe it will become a little clearer when I see some photos.

And here’s another review, including a track-by-track analysis, graciously submitted by Gala M. Pierce.

Radiohead might be flirting with an obscure art rock sound on the two albums released this year, but the live show proves that the boys were more than just cutting edge. They have carried their poignant messages and tour de force sound to new sonic territory and their live show has not suffered the consequences. What’s more is the band now has a handful of albums under their belt and clout to make a difference in the musical world.

On August 1, Radiohead made its own venue off Lake Michigan in Chicago. With a sound system that beats out Tweeter Center, All-State Arena and Soldier Field hands down, they put up their own stage in Hutchinson Field with two screens on either side of the stage. However, I would rethink some the number of tents, especially the ones in the middle of the field. Beta Band kicked off the evening, with a short set by Kid Koala following. Radiohead took the stage just minutes before eight o’clock and played a full set of 24 songs.

The band was in top form. Every one of the boys including Phil Selway, Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Jonny Greenwood, and Thom Yorke brought something to the performance. By the end of the night, the crowd felt like they got their money’s worth (nearly $50 with Ticketmaster charges), especially after a day that warned a 100 degree Farenheit heat index. Although omitting some favorites such as “Just,” “High and Dry” and, of course, “Creep,” the band pulled heavily from the pair of deuces this year and “OK Computer.” The band’s first two efforts were not ignored either. Here’s the breakdown: one from Pablo Honey, three from “The Bends”, five from OK Computer, five from Kid A, six from Amnesiac, and the one song recorded for both CDs, “Morning Bell/Morning Bell Amnesiac.”

Here’s how the rest of the evening fared:

1. “The National Anthem” (Kid A) Radiohead emerges with the stellar song, “The National Anthem.” The jazz-line nuances were dropped on the live version, but the cacophony of horns and shrilling synths still were propelled by Colin Greenwood’s sinister bass line, while Yorke’s voice captured a bleeding frailty.
2. “Morning Bell/The Morning Bell” (Kid A/Amnesiac) Since “Morning Bell/The Morning Bell” was the single song that connects Kid A to Amnesiac, its performance seemed a sure thing and the live version seemed a morphing of the two recordings. The soft electronics contrasted with the vintage look of the two screens on both sides of the stage, with black and yellow tones anchoring the deadly lullaby. “Cut the kids in half” rang throughout Hutchinson Field amid monochromatic rhythms and Jonny Greenwood’s purging guitar.
3. “Iron Lung” ("The Bends") With the guitar muscles of “The Bends,” the quintet went from catchy hooks to the bombastic fury of the song’s alter-ego in “Iron Lung.” The audience also welcomed back Yorke’s signature head bobbing swagger.
4. “Karma Police” (OK Computer) With his back to the audience, Jonny Greenwood played the keyboard; his hair swung to the disquieting twinkling piano melody while York sang the refrain: “This is what you get/This is what you get/This is what you get when you mess with us.” But the song reached anthemic heights when the song culminated with “For a minute there, I lost myself” in a spiraling frenzy.
5. “Knives Out” (Amnesiac) Radiohead next performed its latest single, the harrowing “Knives Out.” Faithful to the album, the guitar riffs sputtered as the Yorke warned, “Look into my eyes, I’m never coming back.”
6. “Permanent Daylight” ("Iron Lung EP") The dissonant rarity feels at home with Radiohead’s “Meeting People is Easy” documentary; it felt disjointed, lonely and pinched.
7. “Optimistic" (Kid A) As the only recognizable Kid A single, the audience sang along with the chorus: “You can try the best you can/If you try the best you can/The best you can is good enough.” The transcending harmonies, however, suffered in the live show.
8. “How To Disappear Completely” (Kid A) York’s strummed acoustic and the crooning synths transcend the elliptical art-rock song. Jonny Greenwood played the keyboard like an alchemist, embarking on the unknown, while the melody soared like the “Close Encounters” theme song.
9. “Dollars & Cents” (Amnesiac) The blue and pink light swarmed the stage when the theatrics began to matter as the sky darkened by the minute. The synergy of the song relied on Ed O’Brien’s surging guitar and Yorke’s manic tambourine.
10. “No Surprises” (OK Computer) Jonny Greenwood’s chiming play on the xylophone lulled, while the darker content of the lyrics tugged at the tranquility. Meanwhile, the nearly full moon was shrouded in a yellow haze above Grant Park.
11. “Packd Like Sardines In A Crushed Tin Box” (Amnesiac) Guitar riffs helped fill the void of the layers of bass synths and percussions sustained on the album version, although the jazz nuances were dropped. “I am a reasonable man/Get off my case, get off my case, get off my case” became a mantra for the fans.
12. “Talk Show Host” ("Street Spirit (fade out)"/Romeo+Juliet Soundtrack) The audience knew the song from “William Shakespeare’s Romeo+Juliet Soundtrack.” The main guitar riff was enough for the momentum, but the manic drumming and swirling synths pushed the envelope until the riff was echoed in a higher octave on the keyboard, sounding like a Celtic flute from the mist.
13. “Pyramid Song” (Amnesiac) As Yorke pushed the keys with a camera in his face catching his distorted head, the audience felt as if they were in a river with him, rowing to nirvana’s shores. As he crooned “I jumped into the river/black-eyed angels swam with me,” Phil Selway’s drums kicked in as we felt the full effect of the song’s meaning.
14. “Paranoid Android” (OK Computer) Although “Paranoid Android” might have had a false start as Yorke confessed he sang the wrong first lyric, but it only endeared him to the audience as he ducked the usual rock chat. By this point, the audience felt a little closer to his cryptic persona. He often snuck a wink or cracked a smile as the camera was on him at all times. When band began anew, it felt like the night’s much-needed rock moment. The audience, which was moved by songs from the last two album pickings, were down right thrilled with the OK Computer hit. The change-up tempos grinded to a halt when the sweeping refrain took over: “Rain down, rain down/Come on rain down on me/from a great height...”
15. “Idioteque" (Kid A) Yorke belted out “Idioteque” like it was a rave dance number. His body spazzed as he sang “Ice age coming.” The rhythms felt tribal as Jonny Greenwood looked like he was playing with a ham radio. Meanwhile, his brother Colin played bass with glee as he jumped up and down.
16. “Everything In Its Right Place” (Kid A) The sleeper moments on Kid A felt organic and alive during the live show, and “Everything In Its Right Place” was no exception, although faithful to the recording. The crowd responded and even felt compelled to clap along as the song reached its own momentum, as Yorke coaxed them, albeit a reluctant leader. Once again, Jonny fooled with the lunchbox-sized toy for the creative electronics. Afterwards, the band left the stage for its first encore.
17. “Lurgee" (Pablo Honey) As the first song of the first encore, Yorke introduced the next track as one from “What’s that album called? Pablo Honey.” Though not “Creep,” as some in the audience had hoped, they pulled out the oldie, “Lurgee.” Its straightforward pop simmered in laidback guitars, a refreshing change of pace.
18. “I Might Be Wrong” (Amnesiac) Another repetitive menacing guitar sound, the quintet further fleshed out the dark side of Amnesiac during “I Might Be Wrong.”
19. “Climbing Up the Walls” (OK Computer) It felt like a creepy mist fell on the crowd as Radiohead played “Climbing Up the Walls.” The paranoia throughout the band’s last three albums is at its most poignant here: “That either way he turns, I’ll be there/Open up your skull/I’ll be there/Climbing up the walls.”
20. “You And Whose Army?” (Amnesiac) With Yorke’s back to the audience, he played the piano again, but he was his most personable and playful with his face so close to the video camera. Before York broke out into “Tonight we ride/Ghost horses,” he faced the audience and got a hearty reception. Afterwards, the band left, ending their first encore. 
21. “Lucky" (OK Computer) As the first song of the second encore, the band returned to “OK Computer.” “Lucky” itself is the kind of song to bring closure to a full evening: “Kill me, Sarah/Kill me again with love/It’s gonna be a glorious day.”
22. “Fake Plastic Trees” ("The Bends") Although some were disappointed that the band skipped “High and Dry,” they were satisfied that the boys opted from the other sleeper hit from “The Bends,” “Fake Plastic Trees.” The guitars sounded like slow sparks, and the song’s universal lyrics conveyed why so many have been so interested in Radiohead. All in all, it was another stellar highlight.
23. “True Love Waits” (unreleased) York introduced “True Love Waits” by saying, “This song’s been around since ‘The Bends,’ but we don’t know what to do with it.” Heavy on the acoustic guitar, and refreshingly sweet, York sang, “I’m not living/I’m just killing time/Your tiny hands/Your crazy kiss and smile.”
24. “Street Spirit (fade out)” ("The Bends") As the British hit equivalent to “Creep” in America, Radiohead ended with “Street Spirit (fade out).” The melancholy anthem worked as the night’s conclusion, but the song doesn’t come close to some of the band’s more memorable songs.

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• Sep 11, 2001, 4:00pm