Thom Yorke leads a chant for Tibet as Radiohead open in Victoria Park

Radiohead played the first of two nights in Victoria Park in Hackney, east London, on Tuesday, their first British date of the In Rainbows world tour, in front of about 40,000 people, by musicOMH's count. Late in the main set, with a Tibetan flag draped over his piano, Thom Yorke led the crowd in a chant of “free Tibet”, and the band went into “Everything in Its Right Place”. More Tibetan flags hung from the amps and equipment.

Yorke and Ed O'Brien played “Faust Arp” as a duo on acoustic guitars, and on “There There” O'Brien and Jonny Greenwood swapped their guitars for drums. For “Bangers + Mash” a miniature drum kit waited at the front of the stage. Someone is now going to hit this drumkit, me², Yorke announced. Before “Planet Telex” he admitted he always forgets its words, and said it did not matter, since they were nonsense anyway. The stage was lit by the low-energy LED tubes the band had brought in on the American dates in May.

Bat For Lashes supported, with several DJs, and, by Londonist's account, a power failure halted their set until the crew got it back. Glasgow Green follows on Friday and Old Trafford in Manchester on Sunday. Ceiri O'Douglas, reviewing for musicOMH, gave the night five stars.

The first encore closed with “The Tourist”, and Yorke thanked the crowd. I was terrified today, thanks for the good vibes!² He came back alone for “Cymbal Rush”, from his 2006 solo album The Eraser, joking about the 10.30pm curfew, and the band rejoined him for “You and Whose Army?” and a closing “Idioteque”.

Setlist