Radiohead Awash in Virginia
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One fan has called it "the concert from hell": on Sunday night at the
Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia, Radiohead played a 24-song set to
a cold, soaked crowd. The rain never let up and was so bad that several
roads leading to the Pavilion flooded, creating massive traffic jams
that kept many fans from even getting to the venue in time to hear
Radiohead play (let alone opening act, the Liars). What would have been
a 30-minute drive from DC and surrounding areas became for many a 3-4
hour slog. Some were so desperate to see Radiohead that they parked
their cars on the side of the road to escape the gridlock, only to come
back and find they'd been towed.This marks the fifth show of Radiohead's North America tour, which began on May 5. The band played "National Anthem", "Planet Telex", "Karma Police" and others, while fans stood in the rain on a lawn that had become total mud. A friend of mine actually made the drive down from New York (yes, I'm glad I didn't go with him), and had this to say: "Thom Yorke sang terribly. Supposedly they played Paranoid Android totally out of key, but I missed it [because of the traffic]." As for the Nissan Pavilion (managed by Live Nation), and Radiohead's stated desire to make their tour as green as possible: "Green my ass. There's isn't a single transportation option within 30 minutes of that venue. The Nissan Pavilion needs to burned down."
Though you do have to hand it to them, even if many people missed a large part (or all) of it, Radiohead did apparently perform a 24-song set. The band's next stop is on Wednesday in St. Louis, Missouri, where the forecast is saying "PM showers". Maybe playing mostly outdoor venues in the spring wasn't the band's best idea ever?
Comments
I was there. The weather was completely miserable, probably the worst rain I've ever seen. I've never been that cold or that wet for that long a period of time. That said, Radiohead was incredible. If anything could have made that kind of experience worth it, it was a performance like that. Paranoid Android wasn't out of key, and the band really gave it everything. Blame goes on the rain and Nissan Pavilion.
Nissan Pavilion bears most of the blame The operators had the audacity to assess a parking fee on top of the ticket charge, and then they failed to provide it -- breach of contract. Count #1. There were thousands of parking spaces in nearby shopping malls, and if concert patrons knew that the lots were full, they could have at least avoided the hours of traffic delays and walked a mile or two to catch the show. Failure to provide due care -- Count #2. But LiveNation and Radiohead are to blame too. They chose this out-of-way exurban venue, when nearly all of the fans live in or close to the District of Columbia. Verizon Center, RFK, Strathmore, George Mason, even the University of Maryland all have large venue and are all accessible by public transportation -- but not Nissan. This was a the most carbon unfriendly concert in history -- thousands of cars idling for hours. What a disgrace. I will never EVER visit Nissan Pavilion again. Not even for Radiohead. Shame on Radiohead for spoiling the environment with a un-green show such as this.
I found this petition going around. Anyone who got screwed over sunday night should sign it! http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/DC_Radiohead/index.html
I have a thing or two to say to the people who bitch about this concert. #1 it was an open air concert, if you can't take the rain, then buy a seat ticket! #2 Who ever takes so much stock in the whole "green fad" is just a slave to marketing. When it all boils down companies, bands, and organizations go "green" to follow trends, not because they love the earth .It's all a ploy to get your money. Global warming and the environment are huge problems right now, but if you think that buying "green products" from "green companies" is going to make a difference, then you are mistaken. If you truly want to go green, you shouldn't be driving a car, or at least leave it run in traffic. You hypocrites make me sick. I drove from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to see Radiohead put on a show. They didn't sing off-key To Paula Neudorf who passes judgment of Thom York's singing from traffic.....leave early.
Not to mention it was a fantastic concert. To bad there were a few people who spent more time bitching than enjoying.
Thats a shame the show was such a mess...they played here in Florida on the 6th and it was AMAZING. Thom did an amazing job with vocals as well as show.
Hey Ben, you are a stupid idiot. The "green fad" was endorsed by Thom Yorke. Then radiohead proceeds to choose to play the most eco-unfriendly venue on the planet. That is what pisses me off. Also, if you can read carefully the author of this blog didnt say that Yorke sang off key. She wasnt at the show, so she quoted someone else. Dumb shits like u make me sick.