Kevin Bronson on April 19th, 2010

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Who: Thom Yorke ????/Atoms For Peace at the Outdoor Theatre
In 3 Or Fewer Words: Band shackles Yorke.
I’ll Remember This Until Radiohead Surfaces Again Because: The enormous Outdoor Theatre crowd for Thom Yorke and his question mark-monikered backing band stretched well into Spoon’s main stage terriitory and reached as far back as the Gobi tent. Among the crowd waiting to see Prince Yorke were New York’s king and queen Jay-Z and Beyoncé, sitting in a tower … as music royalty does, you know. Yorke came out to thunderous cries and announced that his band, Atoms For Peace, would play “every song off ‘Eraser’ and then some mad shit.” Joined onstage by his super group, Yorke made his way through his four-year-old album, which is amazing  itself. Who tours a four-year-old? Will we see Three 6 Mafia touring “It’s Hard Out There For A Pimp” this year? Mauro Refosco on bongos added a lively world beat flair to Yorke’s creations, which allowed the frontman to do his trademark dance: a cross between a todder having a tantrum and Krav Maga. However aside from this added rhythm, it seems like this band mostly got in Thom’s way. Flea’s slap string “it’s my aeroplane” twang was so out of place for Thom’s aural soundscapes. Add on top of that the fact that Flea often screwed up his parts and the die-hard fans really began to wonder why Thom needed these guys onstage with him at all. At times it was like an SNL skit, except Flea seemingly kept yelling ”˜”More funky bass!” instead of “More Cowbell.” It made you really appreciate the gorgeous chemistry of Radiohead that perfectly complements Yorke’s intoxicating and powerful voice. In the end Yorke was best when he came back out alone; just Thom and an acoustic guitar, and Thom at the piano, Thom and his amazing voice. He even threw in a couple Radiohead tunes, “Everything In It’s Right Place and “Airbag”. But I cringed when he brought the band back for the second encore.
What I’d Tell My Friend Who Was at Big Pink: Are you kidding? During Thom Yorke? I bet you tivo “Two And A Half Men.”
– Ali McLean (Ali on the Air). Photos: Debi Del Grande