I’ve been a Radiohead aficionado ever since I went to buy a hi-fi system and heard it demonstrated with Airbag, the bass-heavy opening track from OK Computer. I was subsequently seduced by Thom Yorke’s angst-ridden vocals and Jonny Greenwood’s orchestral, often jazz-inspired arrangements.
I missed the recent concert by candlelight in Truro Cathedral, and seethed as friend after friend posted glowing reviews on social media (on the plus side, I had discovered just how many mates shared my appreciation for them).
So I was determined to see The Radiohead Project at the Hall For Cornwall, especially after speaking to frontman Will Sharp and finding a kindred spirit. That said, I sounded like Will’s dad in both age and habit: “He only really listens to OK Computer and The Bends,” he said.
At least I know more than Daughter, who tagged along for the ride (The Other Half has never been much of a fan). She’d heard Let Down on TikTok and been subjected (by me) to the seminal videos for Just and No Surprises.
We had a real treat in store. As accomplished musicians, The Radiohead Project sounded as much like the real thing as they possibly could without actually being them.
There were a lot of tracks from the two big albums, not unreasonably, but there was also a Kid A medley and a fair few excerpts from Will’s favourite album, In Rainbows (I especially enjoyed Weird Fishes and 15 Step, which were accompanied by entrancing graphics projected onto a screen behind the band).
Personal highlights included Exit Music (For a Film) – acoustic, ethereal and sinister - and the pregnant pause in Just: you could have heard a pin drop.
Hall For Cornwall is quite a large auditorium and was only half full – pre-interval, Will exhorted the audience to “please buy drinks at the bar – it’ll make them think we’ve taken more money than we have”. However, he reassured us that this was the band’s largest audience to date, and it made a refreshing change to hear him practically beg the audience to film, photograph and share with gay abandon. “Word of mouth is key for us,” he explained.
It wasn’t exactly a festival vibe, so it was nice to be asked to stand for the encore – Creep, which the actual band famously avoided performing for years. I have no idea how well Will sang this, as I was too busy bellowing my own (iron) lungs out along with everyone else.
It’s easy to knock tribute bands, but there was a real sense that this was a labour of love rather than a shameless money-making exercise. I’m unlikely to ever see the bona fide ‘Heads live, but this came a very close second. Here were five guys living their best life, playing music they love to people who are equally passionate about it. What’s not to like?
I went home and checked my CD collection, and was surprised to find I had In Rainbows and a couple of other albums too. When the Project returns, I’ll be ready for them.





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