Radiohead play Washington twice for Tibet after lightning stops RFK

Lightning stopped the first day of the third Tibetan Freedom Concert, the benefit for the Beastie Boys' Milarepa Fund at RFK Stadium in Washington, on Saturday, before Radiohead could close it. Some fans had driven from Arkansas just to see them.

It struck the stadium in mid-afternoon, during Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters' set. The organisers halted the day at about 3.40pm. They say four concert-goers were taken to hospital. The Baltimore Sun counted 11 people struck. One woman, in a critical condition at first, has since been upgraded to fair. Five sets were lost, and only Sonic Youth, R.E.M. and Radiohead could be moved to Sunday.

Thom Yorke had defended the musicians' part in the cause at a news conference on Saturday, before the music began.

Rock stars don't have much of a moral high ground, but in this case they do.

Thom Yorke³

Radiohead played that night anyway. Green Plastic Radiohead reported a surprise show at the 9:30 Club for the first 800 people holding Saturday's ticket stubs, with Michael Stipe of R.E.M. singing lead on “Lucky”. The 13-song set opened with “Airbag” and closed with “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”.

The weather cleared on Sunday and Radiohead got their RFK set, eight songs with Stipe on “Lucky” again and a “Creep” that was not on the written setlist. This is more like it. This is a good day.² Yorke then joined R.E.M. in their own set and sang Patti Smith's part on “E-Bow the Letter”, with Smith stranded in New York by the storm. Green Plastic Radiohead's report has him on “Be Mine” as well.

Today Yorke and R.E.M. played the National Day of Action rally for Tibet on the west steps of the Capitol.

Radiohead's Washington weekend