Radiohead Returns to Stage, Captivates Madrid Crowd in First Concert Since 2018
Madrid, Spain – Radiohead performed a career-spanning set in Madrid on Tuesday, marking their first concert since 2018 and signaling a renewed touring presence for the iconic band. The performance drew a diverse crowd, including longtime fans and a new generation discovering the group’s music.
Formed in Oxfordshire in 1985 while the members were at school,Radiohead has become known for its cerebral and atmospheric rock music,having released nine studio albums. Their 1994 debut, Pablo Honey, featured the breakthrough hit “Creep,” which recently re-entered the UK Top 100 charts, alongside “Let Down” from their 1997 album OK Computer.
OK Computer is widely considered one of the greatest rock albums of the 1990s, with subsequent album Kid A often held in even higher esteem for its exploration of electronic music. The band’s sixth album, 2007’s In Rainbows, was notable for its “pay-what-you-want” download model, and was also critically acclaimed. Later albums, The King of Limbs (2011) and A Moon Shaped Pool (2016), continued to demonstrate the band’s experimental approach.
Radiohead members have also pursued individual projects. Thom Yorke has released solo albums and collaborated with the trio the smile, while Jonny Greenwood has achieved success as a film composer, earning two Oscar nominations for Phantom Thread and The Power of the Dog, and potentially a third for One battle after Another.Ed O’Brien released his debut solo album in 2020,and Phil Selway released his third in 2023. Colin Greenwood has worked as a sideman for artists including Nick Cave and published a book of his photographs of the band, How to Disappear: A Portrait of Radiohead, in 2024, covering images taken between 2003 and 2016.
The Madrid concert attracted fans of all ages, including Sergio Zapater, who traveled from Valencia and arrived at the venue nine hours before doors opened, only to find himself 25th in line due to the enthusiasm of a younger fanbase.”I was surprised to find all these young people here,” zapater said. “How annoying, I thought I would be first in line as older people don’t do these things. But now I’m 25th.”
Following four nights in Madrid, Radiohead’s tour will continue to Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Germany, concluding on December 12th.
