Before the concert I had 3 wishes, 3 songs I wanted them to play, that I was afraid they may not play, bcs sometimes they just
skip them. Creep, Tourist and Let Down. OK and Talk Show Host as well, althouth the song is quite safe, but I think someone
said they didn't play it on one of the earlier concerts that week in France, and that's why I was worried.

SPARKLEHORSE are very good. I'd say more than that, but let's keep words like "excellent" for RH, bcs if we use them
now, we'd have to invent new ones for RH later. One cannot appreciate their music at the first listening, especially if the first
listening is at a concert.

But nevertheless their talent is obvious.

They were very well received by the audience, who applauded loudly after every song. Only at one point by the end of their
show ppl started to whistle and scream Radiohead. That's why an opening band should not play longer than half an hour no
matter how good they are. But this "incident" lasted for few seconds and still the song when they finished it was greeted by a
loud applause. They played for smth more than half an hour. Then they left the stage and the applause was so strong that I
started to fear they may come back. Being selfish and afraid that SH coming back may mean some minutes less for RH, I
strongly wanted that not to happen, although I liked their show very much, but the only reason I was here was RH.

Smth more than half an hour of arranging and rearranging the stage and then the lights went off and no surprises FITTER
HAPPIER. Ppl recognise it and the first loud screams start.

No surprises and AIRBAG.

The most logical choice to open the concert. Now we see RH for the first time tonight. Thom is the last one to appear on stage
and again he was chewing a gum. Jonny's guitar cries, screams, speaks, I don't know what he does, but sounds great. Thom
shakes his head in the usual left-right direction, as he always does during this song.

The second song is KARMA POLICE. Everyone obviously knows this song and ppl get very lively. The first big waves started
and we almost fall down.

THE BENDS - I can't say anything specific about this songs, except it was very good, but so were all of them. Let me say then
the first song off The Bends tonight.

EXIT MUSIC - I guess everyone who has seen RH has experienced (or will experience) this problem - of ppl talking during
the song. I guess ppl talk during all of the songs but you cannot hear them. But talking during this song, you cannot miss it.
Those out of place voices are annoying but fortunately they were only at the beginning and there were not many. My impression
was that the band is not much involved in this song. The song is basically Thom's and Jonny's masterpiece. It's the vocals and
the background noises produced by Jonny's guitar that make the song. I may be wrong. The song finished and Thom said
"Now I'll sit there" pointing to the piano on the right-hand side of the stage. When I heard that I knew it was going to be

SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK ALIEN

And I was right. Unfortunately I couldn't see Thom during the whole song as Jonny was exactly on the way from me to Thom
and he didn't move from that spot at all. This was the first time I wished Jonny was not there because I wanted to see Thom's
face expressions while playing piano, something I haven't seen so far.

Then Thom said that the next song is dedicated to two ppl and he even said their names, but I couldn't hear eaxctly, the second
one was Peter and I didn't get the family name, because "they were among the first ppl,who beleived in us". Hearing this I knew
it was going to be an old PH song, and yes, it was

LURGEE. This was a very good and intense performance. Jonny went almost insane on the guitar in his well-known style and I
was afraid he would cut his fingers again.

Lurgee made me thinking about the songs of PH. They don't play them often and they don't play many of them, but when they
play them they are always brilliant live. Untill that point this was probably the best moment of the concert, although the best was
yet to come. But I remembered Blow Out live in Cologne. Noone expected they would play this song and everyone was
surprised when they played it for the encore. But that was one of the highlights of the concert. Which made me think that PH is
basically a live album. This is not an album that you would thoroughly enjoy while lying in your bed with lights switched off and
eyes closed, like you do with the Bends. It doesn't have Bulletproof or Street Spirit or FPT or Black Star, but it has songs full
of energy. It has You, Blow Out, Lurgee.

MY IRON LUNG. No surprises during this song. There are never surprises during this song.

And then TALK SHOW HOST. My new live favourite. I never liked this song. Actually I never paid attention to it. It was just
a B-side for me. Until I saw RH at the Tibetan Freedom Concert on Randall's Island this summer. That was the first time I've
seen them performing this song live and I think it was really the first time they've performed it live. And then 2 days later I saw
them again and definitely became a TSH fan. My favourite B side and this night the best performance so far. And it only gets
better to the end of the show.

And then Thom said smth that I cannot reproduce now but smth like this song has a woman who has problem bcs she does this
and he did some movemnets with his hands as if a woman was taking off her shirt. I figured it's going to be

PARANOID ANDROID and yes again I was right.

The lights are the best so far and this is the first time that the otherwise quite lethargic audience gets very excited. I reckon this is
the live favourite of many people. Movements in the crowd start to get very intensive and there's a danger some ppl may fall
down.

Jonny is on the piano for this song and he even sings. Well he doesn't but he sings in the microphone "ugly" and "piggy" when
these parts come. The song was over and they started something. I thought no, I can't beleive. Although I recognised it
immediately I couldn't beleive I'm seeing this.

My favourite RH song ever - LET DOWN.

I was very anxious about whether they would play it and now I'm so happy and so releived. I reckon the song is very
complicated to be performed live. And it does sound different from the album version and less complex, but still very good.

After Let Down comes smth that everyone likes -

CREEP. The ppl start jumping. Thom puts on a great performance for this song. He started running on stage in circles. He's in a
very good mood. He was in a good mood during the whole show. During the chorus the little Thom looks so big. He stands as
a statue with his right hand raised and he doesn't move at all. Excellent view. This was Thom at his best. I'm very glad they
played this song. I knew they would, as in Europe there's no this big issue of Creep or not Creep. I'm glad they did. I'm sick of
the snobbism of some RH fans who call themselves "real fans". I'm always glad when I see the reaction of these people who
call themselves "real fans" to this song getting pissed why this song is being played. Not real fans, real snobs will be a more
appropriate name for them.

PLANET TELEX - has always been my live favourite and now again it lives up to its reputation. Amazing lights, amazing
performance.

CLIMBING UP THE WALLS - is this RH? Colin is not where he usually is, Jonny doesn't do what he usually does, Thom
doesn't sing as he usually does, and this is Phil at his best, and you all know what Ed does at the beginning. It took me so long
to get used to this song. But now I love it. Live the song sounds even better. It's amazing how they can perform such a complex
song live and make it even better. I always thought CUTW would be as difficult as Let Down, but this was really amazing. The
best one of the evening. I think PA is actually not the most weird RH song. The most weird one is Climbing Up The Walls.

BONES - Thom dedicates this song "to the people in the back" or to the ppl behind, now I can't remember exactly what he
said, but he pointed to the ppl who were at the back of the hall. Very interesting performance of Thom, with his hands flying all
around. It's funny that the most interesting performances Thom puts on are during the songs when he doesn't play guitar, namely
Creep and Bones, which actually makes sense. Then he has to do smth with his hands. The difference between Creep and
Bones tonight was during Bones it's just the hands and his face but during Creep it's his whole body.

BULLETPROOF - I recognised it during the first 2-3 seconds, but I couldn't beleive it was it, as normally they don't play it.
JUST - A standard performance and I thought this was the end of the regular set, bcs RH very often end their regular set with
Just. But no, I was wrong for the first time tonight. They play

FAKE PLASTIC TREES afterwords. Strange that they end the show with this one. I think they've never done it. Interesting
how spontanuous and diverse band RH are. Most of the bands have setlists that they stick to as if they were the holy bible and
perform the same songs in the exact order during the whole tour. Suede are one of the examples I've noticed. But thus is not
the case with RH. They can open today the show with one song and tomorrow close it with the same song. At the Tibetan
Freedom Concert they opened with FPT to everyone's surprise. I mean to everyone who knew them. Now they close the
show with FPT. FPT and Let Down are the 2 RH songs I think I could cry to when I see them live. Sometimes I think to go to
a RH concert and to cry during these 2 songs, but I've never done it. I don't know, maybe I'm just embarrassed. Maybe next
time.

It's over and they leave the stage.

OK, a break and time for me to think about what I've seen. One thing I realised about JONNY. Jonny is not a guitarist. Calling
him guitarist doesn't do him justice. The only reason why ppl call him a guitarist is bcs he plays it so well and he's so unique. But
he's more than that. He does so many things on stage, he plays piano, keyboards, xylophone, he does some strange things on
Climbing Up The Walls, he does the lights for Sparklehorse (and he did them for Teenage Fanclub) and all that on stage, and
now imagine what all he does in studio. He's a musician and an all-round talent. Calling him guitarist is an over-simplification. It's
like calling RH an alternative guitar band. You can't do so, when alternative guitar band also means Bush.

THOM, this was the cutest edition of Thom I've seen so far. He was in a very good mood and had this very innocent cute smile
like a child that you can't help liking. I think this man is not aware of how meach he means to the ppl. He has a strong charisma
and a strong power to attract ppl and win their admiration that he's not aware of. He was wearing baggy trousers, the same
ones from Q magazine I think, and a T-shirt. I couldn't see what shoes he had.

And all those strories about Thom the tortured artist and the angst guru, that's all bollocks. Thom tonight is quite a chirpy guy.

Jonny was wearing the same ugly jeans he had in NYC at Irving Plaza and a long-sleeve naff shirt.

I haven't seen much of ED. Because he was on the other side of the stage and there were many heads between me and him, so
if I wanted to see him I always had to stand on my toes.

COLIN was very quiet and distant. He didn't do any of the things he was doing at the last concerts. I guess he was not in very
good mood. And with PHIL it's always the same problem - hidden behind the drums.

Actually I'm getting tired. Not now while typing it, but during the concert At this point I started to feel very tired, maybe bcs I
was thinking, I don't know. But the whole day was very stressing, running all the time, and I carried a small rucksack with me,
but since it was for few hours on my back, my shoulders were drowning. If it hadn't been for RH with this feeling I would have
gone to bed immediately. And it was getting dangerous, as I started to feel not only tired but also sleepy.

I force myself not to feel sleepy and wait for the band to come back. And I drank 2 beers before the show so this also
contributed to this effect. Normally I don't drink more than 2 beers before a RH show, bcs I want to notice and remember as
many details as possible. OK, I survived and RH came back.

THOM is the last one to come. When he came on stage, ppl started screaming Thom Thom. I realise, actually I knew that even
before, people love this man. Ppl who know him can't help loving him, ppl who don't love him are lazy to get to know him.

LUCKY - I'm glad they've moved this song from the starting postition to the end of the show. Makes much more sense.

I wonder whether this is still their favourite song. I don't think it is. I'm still feeling sleepy. I wish they played My Iron Lung or
Just again, that would be the best cure for my sleepiness.

NO SURPRISES

the most crowd-friendly song. Very populsitic, everyone slaps their hands and many ppl sing along. Jonny is so concentrated
over the xylophone.

Ed comes up to Jonny and they start speaking smth and laughing. Thom at the same time starts a new song and when he
realised the 2 of them are behind him joking he said to them "hey", like he got upset but actually he was also smiling. This was a
funny moment of the concert. And the obedient Jonny and Ed go back to their places and they start.

BANANA CO

Now that I mention this let me just add few other funny moments that have nothing to do with Banana Co, actually I can't
remember during which songs these things happened. Jonny started to stare at someone from the audience in front of him, and
he didn't stop, and it was not few seconds, it was longer. Then he started laughing and stopped staring. I guess his eyes crossed
with the eyes of someone from the audience and he couldn't resist the temptation to have some fun and confuse that person.

And at one moment Thom pointed to someone in the crowd. And ppl started "who me?" and Thom said "yes you", but who,
there are at least 20 possible candidates, and everyone hoped it was them and Thom said "yes yes exactly you" and he was
obviously talking the piss bcs he realised everyone was thinking he was meaning them. And that reminded me of those "Thom
was looking at me"-type of posts by some of our listees.

Oh my God, I can't understand this, my eyes ar almost closing. I slept only 3 hours the night before and ran all day long through
Strasbourg, that I now regret all that and decide next time I'll see RH I'll sleep more than 8 hours and try not to do anything on
the day of the concert.

Shame, I'm trying to force myself to stay awaken (I know I wouldn't have fallen asleep anyway, but wanted to have 100%
concentration while RH were on stage). I talked to myself: open your eyes you silly idiot and look who's in front of you, then
the other me says to the first me: yes I know, it's Thom. And then the first me says again.: so look at Thom and be happy, and
you won't feel tired. OK I manage somehow to keep my concentration, but Banana Co can indeed be a boring song live,
especially when you're tired. Or maybe only when you're tired.

STREET SPIRIT

Thom dedicated this song to Sparklehorse. Jonny the busiest guy on stage finally gets some rest, as he doesn't do much during
the first half of the song, almost nothing. Interesting that this is his favourite song off The Bends when he's not that involved in it.
The crowd is very quiet during this song. Actually during the whole show the crowd was very quiet. I would have thought the
French ppl are the most quiet ppl on concerts, hadn't some ppl who have seen RH in Paris the day after told me that that was
the most aggresive crowd they've seen at concerts. Well maybe there's a difference bewteen the ppl from Paris and Strasbourg,
but this was definitely the most polite audience I've seen so far at a RH concert. Last song of the first encore and they leave
again.

The Tourist was not played until this point. I knew it's now or never. It was the second encore, and they'd either close with the
Tourist or they won't play it at all. Very excited and anxious to hear the beginning of the song they play next, they start and
immediately I feel so happy. My last wish is also fulfilled. It's

THE TOURIST. So my third wish was fulfilled. This song is great. It's the best song to close the show with. I still remember
that moment from the Irving Plaza Show in NYC this June, when I heard the song for the first time. For me that was the best
moment of the whole concert in NYC and one of the best live RH-moments I've experienced so far. After the Torist they leave.
Ppl are not sure whether they'd get more. Some of them start to scream Radiohead. I want more, of course. But I think do we
really need more. Can it get better than The Tourist. No it can't. Even if they come back, although I was sure they wouldn't,
they'd play smth like High and Dry or You or I don't know. So let's not spoil the wonderful end of the concert with The Tourist,
bcs no other song makes sense to me after The Tourist. So I take my rucksack from the floor and go toward the exit. Some
ppl still scream, but the lights are finally switched on, and that's the end. Not the best RH show I've seen so far, it sounded like
a routine show they had to do and keep their energy for important ones, like the one the day after in Paris (where Colin's and
Jonny's mother was supoosed to be present) which I can understand, but still a very good one.

The most impressive performances and live songs for me were:

PLANET TELEX (always has been my live favourite) excellent lights

CLIMBING UP THE WALLS - definitely the most impressive collective performance tonight

CREEP - Thom always puts on a great performance on this one, when they play it that is

PARANOID ANDROID - excellent lights and sort of a turning point of the show when the crowd being quite inhibited during
the first third of the show all of a sudden gets very relaxed and lively and don't care anymore about what the others could say.
A live favourite of many ppl, I'd say, and now retrospectively thinking a very good choice for a single, although sometimes I
think Climbing Up The Walls could have even been a better single.

TALK SHOW HOST - my favourite B-side and one of my favourite let's say 5 RH songs. Basically a dance song played on
guitars.

For nwe stay within the gravitational field of our planet and we say For nowe stay within the gravitational field of our planet and
we say For nowwe stay within the gravitational field of our planet and we say For now we stay within the gravitational field of
our planet and we say The best Thom's performance was during CREEP followed by BONES. Thom during Creep was the
best Thom-moment in my RH-live career, the second one being Thom again during Creep at Werchter festival in Belgium '96.
These 2 moments are unforgettable.

The order I mentioned the songs was the exact one, but I'll post a separate post with the setlist only, as this one is already huge.

what can I say,

the best band on the Planet?

let me say the best live band on the Planet,

for now.

It's a pity we don't know whether there's extraterrestrial life out there, although Thom probably thinks there are aliens
somewhere, far away, Best Band In The Universe sounds much better.

For now we stay within the gravitational field of our planet and we say THE BEST BAND ON THE PLANET (in block letters
of course).

Dani