Radiohead play “Lift” to a sold-out Metro in Chicago

Radiohead played a sold-out Metro in Chicago on Thursday 4 April, and the moment the Chicago Tribune's critic picked out was a song that isn't out yet. On “Lift”, Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway set a light groove, Jonny Greenwood played synthesised strings and Ed O'Brien sang a counter-melody under Thom Yorke on the chorus. The review calls it the most dramatic moment of the night, and a quiet one.

David Gray, the London songwriter, opened, with a bassist and a drummer behind him. Radiohead played 17 songs, with the unreleased “Electioneering” third and “Lift” just before “Creep”; both have been in the set since the North American dates began in Los Angeles in March.

For the rest of the night the critic wished the guitars would back off. With Yorke, Jonny and O'Brien all playing, he found the band's delicate songs knocked about from start to finish, quiet verses breaking into walls of noise. The strobe lights made it worse. The band were at their best, he thought, when the guitars held back. On “Creep”, with Yorke not playing guitar, Jonny and O'Brien added tension without swamping him, and Yorke and O'Brien's harmony lifted the chorus of “Black Star”. The low point came near the end, when “Just” fell apart into shrieking feedback and slammed chords.

Setlist