Everything In It's Right Place

One of my dreams came true on Friday, August 1, 2008: I saw Radiohead in concert. Please do not laugh at this statement, but it really has been a dream of mine to see them in concert for several years now. For those that do not know, Radiohead is my absolute favorite band in the world, period. No band really comes close. I know that I was partial to Counting Crows and Pearl Jam in high school, but that all changed one fateful afternoon.

It was a Sunday in the winter of 1997 and I was with Megan and Laura. I doubt that either of them would remember this particular day because it was just another afternoon that we spent together at Fox Valley Mall after a trip to the Kitchen. Well, we happened to stop by Best Buy and I purchased OK Computer after reading the sparkling reviews that it received. I got home, spent an annoyingly long time taking the plastic off of the case, sat back and heard music that shook me to the core. Yes, I know this sounds dramatic, but is the truth. Every song on that album is a masterpiece and I have been an ardent fan ever since.

Well for some reason, whenever they come to Chicago, I miss them. This has been the case for the last ten years, and I was going to be damned if I missed them this time. So, on Friday, Marilyn dropped me off at the Naperville train station and I began my solo trip to fulfill one of my dreams by seeing Radiohead at Lollapalooza. All I had with me was a book, blanket, two bottles of water and a Ziploc bag of grapes.

After arriving at Union Station, I had to catch the Red Line to Wrigleyville to pick up my ticket. Yes, I was an idiot and did not expect the concert to sell out, so I had to pay a premium to purchase a ticket from a broker. To my defense, this is the first time that Lollapalooza has ever sold out. Well, as I was walking to the Red Line, I had a chance meeting with one Jack White. That's right, Jack White of the Raconteurs and the White Stripes. He was standing with a fellow Raconteur waiting to cross Jackson Street. This was quite a thrill for me as I am a huge fan of both bands. No one around us knew who he was, so I said hello and wished him luck with the Raconteurs set. He thanked me, told me he would play a great set and wished me a good day. It really was surreal.

I eventually made my way to Wrigleyville and stopped by the ticket broker, which was located inside Harry Caray's restaurant. As excited as I was to finally have my hands on my ticket, I really wished I could have have stopped and attended the game that was being played at the Shrine. However, a Cubs game and Radiohead in the same day might have been sensory overload, so it is probably better that I got back on the train and headed towards the Loop. Well, after arriving back in the downtown area, I started heading towards Grant Park, the site of the festival.

After reaching the gates, I looked around in awe as tens of thousands of people gathered for a day of great music. There were a total of eight stages set up throughout Grant Park, with the north and south ends housing two large stages that were set up primarily for the headlining bands. In addition to Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine, Wilco and Kanye West were the major artists that performed this year. This was easily the largest music event I had ever been to and couldn't wait to see my first band, the Black Keys. I won't go into to much detail, but this band totally rocks. They are a simple duo, just a guitar and drums, that hail from Ohio. If you are into the bluesy sound of the White Stripes, you will dig this band. They were really good, and I was glad I had to opportunity to catch their set.

Next up was Cat Power, led by female songwriter Chan Marshall. They played their set on the stage right next to the Black Keys, which was very convenient. Once again, Cat Power played a good set and as soon as they finished, the Raconteurs started playing on the stage vacated by the Black Keys. Since I bumped into Jack White earlier that day, I was excited to see them. However, their set finished only forty-five minutes before Radiohead started, so I left about half way through their set so I would be able to secure a position for the main event. I would have loved to hear them play "Salute Your Solutions," but Radiohead was waiting.

After making my way across the park, I started a push to stand as close as possible to the stage. As I mentioned, I was by myself, so it was fairly easy to wriggle my way to a decent view. I have not mentioned it yet, but that day was hot as blazes, and everyone was baking under the sun. Thankfully, but the time the main event came to the stage, the sun was going down and the temperature was a little more tolerable. Well, it was now eight o'clock and the hour had arrived for Radiohead to take the stage.

I could barely contain my excitement as the elaborate lighting system illuminated (pictured above) the stage as the band began to play their first song of the night, "15 Step." As soon as they started to play the crowd went wild and with just cause. The start was awesome, but the best was yet to come. By this time, the sun was almost down, and the backdrop of the city was breathtaking. After "15 Step," they went on to "Airbag" which was a total surprise for me. This is the lead song on OK Computer, and is one of my favorite tunes on that album. The next song was the highlight of the show for me. Even though I don't think Hail to the Thief is their
strongest effort, it contains of of my favorite songs, which is "There, There." As soon as I saw guitarist Ed O'Brien roll out a separate drum kit, I knew "There, There" was coming, and boy was it fantastic. O'Brien played the hell out of the separated drum set and it was totally awesome.






As the show continued, I watched in awe as they played most of the cuts form In Rainbows with other classics sprinkled in between. Other highligts included "No Surprises", "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" and "The Bends." The next truly breathtaking moment came when the band started playing "Everything In It's Right Place." This is the opening tune on Kid A and is also featured in the movie Vanilla Sky. The song on it's own is awesome, but the thing that took it to another level was the fact that fireworks started playing during the middle of the song. As it so happens, the Chicago Bears scrimmaged that night at Soldier Field. Well, to help celebrate the event, they set off fireworks that happened to coincide with the Radiohead set. The fireworks were the perfect touch and proved that everything was indeed in it's right place. Following "Everything In It's Right Place," was "Fake Plastic Trees" from The Bends. This is a very mellow song and the fireworks accented it perfectly. As the song came to it's climax, the final barrage of fireworks let loose for a truly unforgettable scene.



The set continued with further gems, like "Paranoid Android" and "Optimistic" and the set closer "Idioteque." After the show was over, I was couldn't believe that I had the go good fortune to have attended that show. It was the single best concert I have ever been to, no questions asked. I understand that most people will roll their eyes when they hear me say that, but that is the truth. My passion for their music is unequaled and has more meaning to me than any other group out there. Being able to see it live has been the second biggest highlight of the year for me, with number one being our proposal. It was something that I will not soon forget and hope that everyone can have a similar experience at some point in their lives, whether it be from music, reading or otherwise. What a show.