231 RADIOHEAD, Kinky Machine, Bristol Fleece, Wednesday 17 February 1993

I was more attracted to this gig, featuring a couple of intriguing new bands, than to the footy on the telly (England beating San Marino 6-0); my first time at The Fleece for an age, and the first time I'd seen it so packed as well!

T'was heaving and sweaty well before support Kinky Machine surfaced, a little after 9 (bands get to the stage here via the bar, so perhaps they were delayed pulling pints). They played a cool set of well-structured guitar pop, slightly Bowie-ish, which was ponderous to kick off with, but which took flight after "Swivelhead". Overall a jolly fine set.

Radiohead, current media darlings, took the stage at 10 past 10. A moody, atmospheric set (which harshly could be described as "plodding", but at this stage I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and call them "thoughtful") of indie music, in a mature type of c86 guitar pop style genre, followed. The blistering single "Creep" was by far the highlight of a set which nevertheless suggests that the blond (peroxide, natch) diminutive vocalist Thom and his band of retro-waifs have a lot to offer. I moshed, naturally, got a set list and managed to keep my (quite sweaty) waistcoat on, although Clive lost his beads - shame!

242 RADIOHEAD, Strangelove, Superstar, Bristol University Anson Rooms, Monday 10 May 1993

Got an early start for this one, and arrived well in time to join an otherwise virtually deserted hall to catch opening band Superstar, a band who wear their Teenage Fanclub influences on their collective sleeves and, despite being somewhat untogether, showed a lot of melodic and harmonic potential.

Local boys Strangelove were next up; they delivered an impressive, doom-laden psychedelic growl of a set. A few good numbers and an excellently charismatic frontman made for a band I reckon may be going places...

Had some beer in the bar afterwards, rubbing shoulders with Blue Aeroplanes frontman Gerard Langley (I'm not a fan, but Ady was impressed, anyway), before repairing to the main hall and piling into the moshpit for Radiohead. Augmented by atmospheric dry ice and added dynamism, Radiohead this time took flight, in a set which was a million times better than their recent, slightly flat, Fleece gig. Moody, mean and magnificent, blond vocalist Thom Yorke cut an excellent dash as the main visual focus, and (I appreciated this point) sweated profusely whilst delivering a fine evening's worth of deliberate yet thrilling power rock. Potential becoming realised!

275 RADIOHEAD, THE JULIE DOLPHIN, Portsmouth Pyramids Centre, Tuesday 4 October 1994

A swift run down to the South Coast for an enticing double-header of bands got us there at 1/4 to 8, only to find support The Julie Dolphin were due on at 8.30, not 8 as I'd been told. So we didn't need to break those speed limits after all...

This however meant that when The Julie Dolphin took the stage, I was firmly installed down the front, and started off an ever-increasing moshpit to TJD's splendid and committed performance. This band, finally on a big stage, really took flight, and played a spunky, spiky, often sinister, often ethereal and dreamy, but always dynamic and rocking set with bags of confidence. Some new, punkier numbers, mixed in with the increasingly familiar favourites, kicked some serious ass too! Brilliant stuff from a band rapidly becoming one of my favourite live experiences.

Bumped into Geoff Haydon, TJD's now blond bassist, for a chat and quick congrats, before Radiohead took the stage at 1/4 to 10. Apparently streaming with colds (as I was too, hence my moshpit "kill or cure" treatment!), they nevertheless put together a tremendous set, fulfilling their status as a rising band with great potential. Mixing old favourites with newer, slower-paced but harder-edged numbers, petulant young man vocalist Thom Yorke was a splendid focus for Radiohead's occasionally nice, occasionally nasty moody mood music. "Creep", described by Thom as, "a song which could really wreck my life," got the whole joint jumping, a little surprisingly given its' slow-burn pace, but encore "Vegetable" raised the roof and was the best thing they delivered all evening.

All in all, a couple of tremendous performances delivered by 2 bands in top form. A great evening!

288 RADIOHEAD, Marion, Bristol University Anson Rooms, Friday 10 March 1995

I seem to have a season ticket for this place at the moment! Still, shorts-clad and ready to go, we drove down anticipating a fine double-header, and as soon as we arrived, I headed straight for the moshpit for another great set from tonight's support Marion. The Manc superstars in waiting were totally brilliant again; ringing guitars and incendiary rhythm and pace, with pretty boy superstar-to-be Jamie Harding again grabbing the attention, despite having about as much room to dance as we in the crowded moshpit had! Their set already seems so familiar; "Time" with it's pulsating rhythms and plaintive, "are you missing her..." hookline, "I Stop Dancing" with it's racy chorus and "Oh'"s from Jamie; all reinforcing the fact that this band have all the marks of being destined for greatness and a wider audience - real soon!

By contrast, Radiohead were merely alright. Promoting the new, slower paced album "The Bends", which for me is somewhat disappointing after the bright swagger of their "Pablo Honey" debut, a lot of the songs in this set seemed withdrawn and introverted. The set really only came to life during oldies "Stop Whispering" and "Vegetable", which were nevertheless excellent from my moshpit vantage point. Still, they were onto a tough job following Marion in their current form; they just slightly couldn't live up to it. Sorry boys!