Gig review: Thom Yorke in Christchurch

Photo: Stephanie Cartwright

By Dan Buchanan

Review: Thom Yorke - Wolfbrook Arena, 23 October 2024

As a devout follower of the word of Thom, Dan Buchanan was worried about seeing his hero for the first time, but the Radiohead frontman didn't disappoint in Christchurch last night.

They say you should never meet your heroes. They say you'll be disappointed. I wasn't fortunate enough to meet Thom Yorke, but seeing him live tonight for the first time after 30 years of being a fan, this might be the closest I'll ever get. It is safe to say that thankfully, I was not disappointed.

It used to be that you could break fans of Thom's iconic band Radiohead into two groups. Those who preferred the band before Kid A, and those who preferred them from that album forward.

But as we devout followers of the word of Thom have aged, and our musical palettes matured, the myriad sonic textures of his handiwork have become bookmarks in time, simultaneously signposting the development of his songwriting prowess, and allowing the pre and post Kid A fans to reunite and revel in the ecstasy that art of this depth provides.

The sonic wizard known by the name Thom Yorke, took the stage precisely when he meant to. Shuffling out to the opening track, an acoustic, mesmerizing rendition of 'Weird Fish/Arpeggi' from 2007 album In Rainbows.

In the dim light, Yorke still cuts a jangling, haunted figure, the telltale sign of a 90's alt-rock frontman. Head craning forward to reach the microphone, his unique, angular face - now all smooth lines and warm skin - still with one eye half open, barely moving his mouth as his lungs punch out that trademark sharp-edged, goosebump inducing, vocal texture we've come to recognize after only a few syllables have left his lips.

Photo: Stephanie Cartwright

Leading us by the ear through a back catalogue of his work, from Radiohead to his more recent solo efforts, one man band Thom presents us with the musical equivalent of intertextuality, selecting paragraphs from unrelated works, coalescing together to form a completely different story, both strangely familiar yet entirely new. Captivating and seductive.

Deep into the third song Thom has found his groove. Dancing his way into 'Packt Like Sardines In A Crushed Tin Box', he addressed sold out Wolfbrook Arena with "good evening" and "thank you for having me in Christchurch" before taking a seat for the title track from 2018's Suspirium. A random voice punctuates a brief silence "We love you, Thom" - "I love you too man," he chuckles back.

The stage setup resembles a music store. A circular array of drum machines, keyboards, and synths, with microphones at each so he can transition from station to station and single handedly keep the show rolling along. An acoustic guitar appears as if from thin air and with it he produces a heart achingly somber rendition of Kid A's 'How to Disappear Completely', and suddenly he's strapped on a bass guitar for The Eraser's 'Black Swan'. The visuals are mind bending. Neon silhouettes of Thom mid song dissipate like smoke and reform like an etch-a-sketch reinterpreting visually what happens musically.

If I had the chance to see this show again, I would, just so I could not be disappointed all over again.

Thom Yorke performs at Spark Arena in Auckland on October 25 and 26.