Radiohead Roll Call

[ggw]

The Washington Post wants your assistance in disparaging Nissan Pavilion

[friarfunk]

I think I can safely say I'm never actually going back to Nissan because I'd never been there before this weekend and had only heard tell of its horrors.  Two great shows, but yikes.  As others have said, I'd much rather take a trip to Philly or NJ next time.  
 
 Can a band really make that much more cash doing a pavilion show than going to the Verizon Center?  The announced attendance at the sold out Kanye show was 21,000, and Verizon holds about 20,000 for basketball games.  I guess it might have been a scheduling issue given the potential for NHL and NBA post-seasons this time around?

[sonickteam2]

Originally posted by sweetcell:
  i had no problems getting drinks and going to the bathroom from my "pussy seats"   :p  
 

ha!  good one. it was probably better off since i was driving anyway.   :roll:

[vansmack]

hold on...looking...
 
    <img src="http://www.clipartof.com/images/emoticons/thumbnail2/1947_eating_popcorn_and_drinking_beer.gif" alt=" - " />
 
 You may continue with the drama....

[K8teebug]

Is there a good reason why this show wasn't at Merriweather, other than Nissan holds more people?
 
 Having gone to the first day of Bull Run years ago, I can sympathize with everyone...

[dave24]

You know - we were talking about it on the way out to Nissan.  There are much better options for a place to play if RH actually did care about their carbon footprint.
 
 Also - I began to believe they don't particularly give a crap about their fans.
 
 They mentioned at least twice how they appreciated that it was so miserable out there for the fans last night.  Then, actually said there were road closures due to flooding.  In my book, it may have been time to think about cutting it short by a song or two so out of concern for fans' safety, not indulging themselves in a narcissistic eight song encore.
 
 My friends thought I may have been a bit hard of them with a statement like that one.  They said the band was probably trying to give people who had a miserable time getting there a full show.  Personally, as cold and wet as everyone was, I thought they were a bit self-indulgent.  I can see it both ways.  But, I would have leaned toward a 10:45 stop time.  And how about cutting liars and starting a bit early to compensate?  Honestly - who here would have felt like they missed something by not getting to watch Liars' set?

[distance]

Originally posted by sweetcell:
  i predicted that we'd get paranoid android - with that weather, how could we not.  thom's first words to the crowd: "hello, wet people".
 

you could have predicted it just by the fact that you were seeing radiohead.  they have played it at almost every show for the past decade.   you're more likely to get some rarity than to NOT hear paranoid android.

[kosmo vinyl]

ah the memories... not only was the traffic notable, but it marked one of Mr. du Luc's first disparaging reviews for the Post
 
  Demolish Nissan.. The Coldplay thread

[Aphex]

It seats 20,173 for basketball, and 18,277 for hockey.
 
 I would imagine the capacity is even less for concerts considering they lose all the 'sections' behind the stage.  Looking at Radioheads setup, I don't think they could do a theatre in the round.

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

Originally posted by dave24:
  And how about cutting liars and starting a bit early to compensate?  Honestly - who here would have felt like they missed something by not getting to watch Liars' set?

If you cut the opener and Radiohead goes on earlier, you know how many more people that would've meant missed all or a significant portion of the show? I'd wager it'd make the unhappy contingent increase alot. Doesn't seem viable.
 
 I think you either have to postpone the show (giving folks the option of getting their $$ back) or go all out and try to compensate for the crappy conditions with a kickass set. (Obviously, that first choice wasn't really ever on the table.) Radiohead tried their best to make up for the weather; lots of folks on atease/greenplastic are saying its the best setlist of the very short so far tour. Yet still, people were under no compulsion to stay for the encores. But I can tell you, if you think people are bitchy now, if Radiohead had ducked out after 16 songs on top of the weather and traffic, the ensuing messageboard drama would choke a pig.

[dave24]

They wouldn't have even had to have done something in the round at Verizon, unless they really felt the need... Verizon regularly opens the sections behind the stage when there's a basically open stage setup.   They could have pulled this off.  The people behind the stage of course never get to see the video behind a band.  But, how many would have sacrificed that, and even paid a few bucks more a ticket if it mattered that much to RH's bottom line, to have avoided that mess last night???  I'd think almost everyone.  Plus, it'd be a small percentage of people who's overall view would have been obscured.

[dave24]

Originally posted by Julian, certified WEBLEBRITY:
 

I can tell you, if you think people are bitchy now, if Radiohead had ducked out after 16 songs on top of the weather and traffic, the ensuing messageboard drama would choke a pig. [/b]

Possibly - personally I believe the best option was to not open the gates at all, and postpone the show.  
 
 Short of that though...  you know, I don't really believe it would have been a bad option to cut into (or entirely can) Liars' set, go on early, and end early.  
 
 Let's face it - most people who were headed out are decicated enough to be there a good bit early.  Nissan is absolutely notorious for their traffic in and out.  It wasn't a weekday.  With the weather to compensate for, and a whole day to plan around the possible delays, I think most people are smart enough to get there a bit early.
 
 If I'm wrong then fine.  But I don't think the actual set times were announced.  Had they started a bit early, who could really complain?  They could have gotten their full set in, AND gotten people on their way a bit earlier.  
 
 As in my earlier post, I believe it was completely self-indulgent for them to not consider their fans a bit more in that respect.  Flame me if you want, all.  Maybe I'm just getting too old for some of this shit.

[sweetcell]

Originally posted by distance:
   

Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
  Bullshit.
 
 Actons speak louder than words.
 
 Nissan is 35-40 miles outside the city and has no public transit access.  Most of the other venues they are playing are also suburban and exurban locations with little to no public transit.
 

i agree with you 100% on this.
 i'm not going to say that thom yorke doesn't care, but he certainly doesn't seem to care enough to actually take action.
 
 even if the band doesn't want to deal with the stuff personally (which, with all that's involved with booking a tour this big, why should they?), but they could have hired someone competant enough to actually find places that actually fit in with most of what they were talking about.[/b]

i think it's funny when someone says they'll do something, people them jump down their throat because they're not doing everything   :roll:  
 
 radiohead never said this tour would be perfectly enviro - they said it would be one of their concerns, and that they'd factor it in.  in the case of nissan, i'm guessing that other factors - like being in bed with livenation, venue size, venue availability, etc - trumped carbon concerns.
 
 nissan was indeed a horrible choice of venue, there are a couple of others on the tour that are similar (like outside seattle).

[mr. pretentious]

Originally posted by dave24:
   

Originally posted by Julian, certified WEBLEBRITY:
 

I can tell you, if you think people are bitchy now, if Radiohead had ducked out after 16 songs on top of the weather and traffic, the ensuing messageboard drama would choke a pig. [/b]

Possibly - personally I believe the best option was to not open the gates at all, and postpone the show.  
 
 Short of that though...  you know, I don't really believe it would have been a bad option to cut into (or entirely can) Liars' set, go on early, and end early.  
 
 Let's face it - most people who were headed out are decicated enough to be there a good bit early.  Nissan is absolutely notorious for their traffic in and out.  It wasn't a weekday.  With the weather to compensate for, and a whole day to plan around the possible delays, I think most people are smart enough to get there a bit early.
 
 If I'm wrong then fine.  But I don't think the actual set times were announced.  Had they started a bit early, who could really complain?  They could have gotten their full set in, AND gotten people on their way a bit earlier.  
 
 As in my earlier post, I believe it was completely self-indulgent for them to not consider their fans a bit more in that respect.  Flame me if you want, all.  Maybe I'm just getting too old for some of this shit. [/b]

I'm glad they played a long set.  Give fans their money's worth, esp. those on the lawn.  Cutting an opening act is unheard of in my book (NEVER seen it happen), and it's not like Radiohead were making you stay for the 2 encores.  You could have left whenever.
 
 So yes, you're old.

[sonickteam2]

I am not about to kiss Thom Yorke's ass, but what in the hell, people.
 
  Think about how many acts play Nissan each year, or any other ampitheatres, how many traffic jams...and do we say all these artists dont care about their fans?
 
  You think playing a shortened set would make people happy?  That makes zero sense.
 
  First of all, Radiohead decides to play non-commercial venues and Bull Run happens. Then they decide to play a theatre tour, but most of us cant get tickets. Then they go ahead and play the commercial ampitheatre and this happens.  
 
   Radiohead are artists, who are supposed to care about making great music for us to enjoy. Nissan is a venue, whos supposed to allow for a nice place for us to see a show.  Radiohead did not drop the ball here, Nissan did.
 
   Do you think Thom Yorke was told, "well, we want to play Nissan but its a real sucky venue and probably will end in a big wet disaster for most ppl in attendance"  and then Thom said "eehhh, fuck em, who cares!"  
 
  What about the secret show at 930 in 1998?  Does a band that doesnt give a fuck abuot their fans do that?  or how about basically HANDING their fans their new CD? ohh surely that was pure greed.
 
  I am not saying they are a bunch of caring souls and they are certainly no Pearl Jam when it comes to being fan-friendly, but christ, they are no worse than most artists out there.