Radiohead’s Thom Yorke mocks the Daily Mail at London O2 Arena show

Singer sarcastically mocks "quality newspaper" as band play first London gig of world tour

Radiohead opened the first London date of their world tour at the O2 Arena last night (October 8) with frontman Thom Yorke taking an onstage potshot at the Daily Mail newspaper.

Introducing the band’s track of the same name, he jokingly told the crowd that the publication was a “quality newspaper” and then had to stop the song and start again because he couldn’t stop chuckling.

The Oxford band opened their predictably ‘King Of Limbs’ heavy set with ‘Lotus Flower’ followed by ’15 Step’ and ‘Bloom’, with Yorke – dressed all in black and occasionally playing the maracas and tambourine – dancing energetically throughout.

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The only tracks showcased from the band’s highly regarded 1997 album ‘OK Computer’ were ‘Climbing Up The Walls’ and ‘Karma Police’, which received the biggest cheer of the night, but fans were treated to a handful of rarities and newer tracks including ‘Identikit’, ‘Staircase’ and ‘These Are My Twisted Words’. Yorke introduced the latter by telling the crowd: “I don’t know how familiar you are with all our stuff.”

The band drew upon their vast back-catalogue to flesh out the rest of the set, including heavier versions of ‘Hail To The Thief’ cut ‘Myxomatosis’, ‘Kid A’ favourite ‘Idioteque’ and ‘Amnesiac’ track ‘Like Spinning Plates’, which has only been played live a handful of times this year.

A set of 12 square screens providing a dramatic backdrop, each square showing close-ups of different members of the band that flashed with different colours with each song. The band began their first encore with ‘Pyramid Song’ and ended with an ‘In Rainbows’ double of ‘Weird Fishes/Arpeggi’ and ‘Reckoner’.

A cover of REM’s ‘The One I Love’ segueing into ‘Everything In Its Right Place’ finished the set.

Some fans with paperless tickets complained on Twitter about the queuing system at the venue but, aside from a few grumbles that the venue wasn’t a suitable fit for the band’s London show, the feedback was largely positive.

Went toSee radiohead at the O2 last night best gig I have ever witnessed in my life

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— Mojam (@mojammusic) October 9, 2012

https://twitter.com/SamuelMensahLDN/status/255558959811923968

https://twitter.com/richardgomito/status/255441956514189313

https://twitter.com/robnewman30/status/255462343453052928

Radiohead played:

‘Lotus Flower’
’15 Step’
‘Bloom’
‘Kid A’
‘The Daily Mail’
‘Myxomatosis’
‘Climbing Up the Walls’
‘The Gloaming’
‘Separator’
‘These Are My Twisted Words’
‘Like Spinning Plates’
‘Nude’
‘Identikit’
‘Karma Police’
‘Feral’
‘Idioteque’
‘Pyramid Song’
‘Staircase’
‘Morning Mr Magpie’
‘Weird Fishes/Arpeggi’
‘Reckoner’
‘Give Up The Ghost’
‘There There’
‘Everything In Its Right Place’

The band return for another show at London O2 Arena tonight (October 9) for the final UK show of their world tour.

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