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BBC News
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Radiohead reimagined at Oxford's Christ Church Cathedral
A classical music ensemble's concert of Radiohead songs in the band's hometown of Oxford will feel extra special, its artistic director Concertante's Radiohead Reimagined show is touring cathedrals and abbeys across the UK, and arrives at Christ Church Cathedral on ensemble, used to performing the works of Bach, Vivaldi, and Vaughan Williams, will reinterpret songs from the band's entire Grist, who is also founder of the orchestra, tells the BBC: "The fact that Radiohead are from Oxford, for us to bring the show there feels like a real homecoming." It means reimagining both the guitar anthems and alternative rock from their breakthrough albums The Bends and OK Computer, through to their more experimental later releases, such as Kid A and In Rainbows. Grist says he spent an "awful lot of time listening to every single Radiohead album", and that whittling down the songs was difficult."It has been a really fun challenge and we've tried not to shy away from really musically-challenging situations," he cultural legacy has been expanding in recent years. Upcoming productions include an art exhibition at the prestigious Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, and a stage show at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon that will combine the Bard's Hamlet with their Hail to the Thief album. Grist believes that a former "perceived snobbery" in the art and classical world is "evaporating", as the opportunities rock music can bring become evident."[This] can be a starting point for the listener to then explore further the world of classical music, and that's certainly our aim whilst we're creating this show," he says."There is such a line that goes through from the great masters to great rock music, and the way that we've approached it is to not dumb down anything about the music that we're presenting. "So for a Radiohead fan, they'll hear their favourite tunes in a slightly different way, but for a classical music audience who perhaps aren't familiar with the Radiohead repertoire, they'll hear a symphonic concert that happens to be music by Radiohead."It's our way of trying to bridge that gap." Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood is classically-trained and has written extensively for orchestras before, and both he and Thom Yorke have separately worked on soundtracks for filmmakers such as Paul Thomas Anderson, Jane Campion, Lynne Ramsay, and Luca says both are "immersed in that world" which makes their compositions so ideal to work on."You can tell from their writing and music that their musical brains are thoroughly engaged," he says."When you delve deep into what they've created, there is harmonic and rhythmic complexity, and even simple melodic lines are used so effectively." He adds: "There's an ethereal quality to their music, which is going to lend itself so well to the venues we're going to play, particularly Christ Church."It's such an iconic and beautiful venue to be in, and hopefully we'll convey that through the music."For an audience it's all about the partnership between the venue, the music, and the ambience of what they're seeing, and I think that's why live music is still so alive today because it's the only opportunity where listeners get to experience that full immersive element."Radiohead Reimagined tours throughout 2025. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'An Evening of Radiohead' is an absolute must-see for any fan
While I've seen hundreds of bands over the years, there's one I've sadly never been able to catch live – my all-time favourite, Radiohead. So when I discovered there was a tribute show being held at Manchester Cathedral on my 30th birthday, I just knew I couldn't miss out on the opportunity. Hosted by Let Me In, the incredible performance took place during the event provider's UK Cathedral and Minster tour following a sold-out run in 2024. READ MORE: Sabrina Carpenter hits back after crowd erupts into boos at Manchester Co-op Live gig READ MORE: Review: Teddy Swims delivers show packed full of hits and mammoth vocals at Co-op Live And the setting couldn't have been dreamier – Manchester Cathedral providing a stunning backdrop for the journey through Radiohead's 30-year catalogue. The show brought together a full live band complete with vocalists and the nationally renowned Mike Nowland String Quartet. The night was a spectacular celebration of Radiohead's incredible work, spanning hits and lesser-known gems from albums like OK Computer, In Rainbows and The Bends. And though I initially had doubts over seeing a cover band, I must say I was absolutely blown away by the event. Having been desperate to see Radiohead live since the age of 15, it genuinely felt as close as I could possibly get to the real deal. Every song was delivered with such passion, showcasing the band's ability to navigate melancholic rock anthems to more experimental pieces - capturing Thom Yorke's distinctive voice with impressive accuracy. Under the direction of Christopher Buckle, the band – featuring talented local musicians like Alfie Woods, Bruce Higgs, Daniel Anketell, Josh Semans, Lydia Karaviotis and musical director Ewan Steady – created a powerful and emotional performance. But it was the addition of the exceptional string quartet – Mike Nowland, Mathias Svensson, Caroline Boddimead and Hannah Paterson – that brought a truly magical depth to the event. If you're a huge Radiohead fan like me, An Evening of Radiohead really is a must-see. The night was a perfect mix of nostalgia and fresh interpretations of the band's music and a truly unforgettable experience in a breathtaking venue. For tickets, visit the link by clicking here.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
We got a 28-year-old music journalist to review a 30-year-old Radiohead album and this is what he wrote
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. I was born on October 19, 1996, which means I was released 19 months after The Bends was. It's not an album I'm nostalgic for: I grew up in households where New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands and 70s prog rock were near-constant soundtracks. I started discovering the modern acts in those genres and, as my tastes started expanding towards their more avant-garde fringes, I noticed more and more of my favourites citing influence from Radiohead. I'd heard of Radiohead before, but only via the memes. I knew the jokes about their fan-base being pretentious adult virgins long before I knew even one of their lyrics. Eventually, though, this mysterious band's impact on the music I loved – acknowledged by everyone from Leprous to Loathe – became too intense to ignore. I started with OK Computer, familiar with its frequent anointment as one of the best albums ever made, and I liked it. Not as great as Gothic by Paradise Lost, I thought, but still very good. So then I stuck on The Bends and… fucking hell. That was the revelation. As a junior-millennial rock fanatic, hearing The Bends felt tantamount to digging up the first fish who grew legs. So many of the bands who blew up during my youth – Muse, Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Kings Of Leon, even the bloody Darkness – suddenly had a common ancestor. And none of them did The Bends better than Radiohead did The Bends. I have two enduring memories of my first listens. One is being taken aback by just how sad it was. Like, I knew that Radiohead were a sad band, but this was sad. This album's just driven home from having its puppy put down only to accidentally hit its toddler in the driveway. Although sad music's always appealed to me (note the above Paradise Lost reference), the sheer desperation of Street Spirit (Fade Out) still stood out. Somehow, the song's microscopic glimmer of hope made it all the more heart-rending, ending four minutes of arpeggiated chords, down-trodden wailing and ruminations on the pointlessness of life with one last-resort command: 'Immerse your soul in love.' There was a similar, dying flicker in the black hole of Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was. Thom Yorke conveyed his desire to be stronger emotionally, yet did so in defeated solemnity, loosely strumming an acoustic guitar and half-singing/half-whispering as if he already knew that his dream was impossible. My Iron Lung also soundtracked positivity drowning in a quagmire, likening Radiohead's breakthrough single Creep and the subsequent demand for another hit to a life-support machine: for all it did to sustain them, it hugely constrained their capabilities. The second memory is of how, for all that sorrow, The Bends refused to simply slump down and sit still. There was a power and volume to the album that all those memes I saw never as much as hinted at. The title track was a cacophonously loud expression of stagnation, with even Yorke's mightiest vocal cries getting overwhelmed by the distortion of Jonny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien's guitars. Black Star – behind a chorus that so, so many of Radiohead's acolytes have tried to replicate – built a wall of riffing that was just as impervious. Other songs reserved their noise for crescendos, and these included some of the album's biggest singles, High And Dry and Fake Plastic Trees. Their buzzing bridges and solos felt like climaxes to grand classical movements, a tactic that forged entire careers for This Will Destroy You, Maybeshewill and myriad others once the 2000s' post-rock scene reached full steam. At the risk of sounding as wanky as I was once led to believe Radiohead's fan-base was, it was an ingenious balance of freeness, strength and control. In 2025, it's almost tempting to laugh at how despondent Radiohead were 30 years ago. Oh, you thought life back then was bad? Try dolloping a climate crisis and the West's increasing embrace of fascism on top of your problems! However, The Bends represents both a refined collection of music and an entire mood that has transcended its time. No matter when you listen to it, it will give your blues the most dynamic soundtrack. OK Computer may be more acclaimed, Kid A may be more rebellious… but, when it comes to era-defining cues and versatile song craft, nothing Radiohead have done will ever beat The Bands for me.
