Atoms for Peace

On Tuesday night, I finally saw the musical force that is Thom Yorke for the first time. The earth trembled, the ground opened up, and 52nd Street in front of the Roseland Ballroom spouted fire. And that was before Atoms for Peace even played a single note.

As I understand it from a number of disparate reports, an underground transformer somewhere around the venue overheated, causing manholes to explode, flames to lick the streets, and carbon monoxide to flood a number of buildings in the area. While the Roseland was not one of them, the show was delayed an hour, causing the line to wrap itself around the block.

“Well,” said Yorke after his opening song, “that was an interesting afternoon.” It hardly held a candle to the evening.

Prior to Yorke taking the stage with Atoms for Peace, he turned it over to Flying Lotus to settle the mood. Playing selections from his excellent records Cosmogramma and Los Angeles – including personal favorite “Robo Tussin” – Lotus was up to the task. He deftly mixed and matched, easing the crowd into the night. After genuinely thanking the audience for welcoming him, Flying Lotus wrapped everything up in a neat little bow with a gentle reworking of Radiohead classic “Idioteque”. It left me primed and pumped for Yorke and co. to take the stage.

Thus far, five shows into their existence, Atoms for Peace have made no bones about the fact that they are a fledgling outfit. Yorke went as far as to call the band’s first gigs, in Los Angeles last October, “dress rehearsals.” Although they are past the rehearsal stage, they are not nearly at the tinkering-with-the-setlist phase. Tuesday night opened as all of their shows have, with a front-to-back run-through of Yorke’s solo album, The Eraser.

The first notes of “The Eraser” proved cathartic, letting out the tension that had unknowingly been lurking during the build-up to the show. As the set went on, it gained momentum. Midway through the album recitation, the band played the song that spawned their name – “Atoms for Peace.” It was like a fulcrum on which the concert pivoted; the second half of The Eraser increased the energy-level tenfold. A jammed out and ramped up version of “Cymbal Rush,” The Eraser’s final track, left me breathless.

For the majority of the concert, the sound mix was deeply rooted in the lower register, with double percussion manned by Joey Waronker and Mauro Refosco and a mean slap bass in the capable hands of Red Hot Chili Pepper, Flea. Aside from a blistering horn solo from Christian Scott on the opening tune, Yorke’s voice was left alone in the upper octaves; it was more than capable of shouldering the load – even morose songs like “Black Swan” sounded lithe from his lips.

Without a doubt, there is a cult of personality surrounding Thom Yorke. Placed on a pedestal by most indie rock fans, he is rightfully revered for his creative capabilities. He is amiably mysterious, transmissions to fans often shrouded in secret, intentionally opaque so as to pique interest. There is no question: The majority of fans at the Roseland were there for Thom.

So it is no surprise, then, that the run of three solo songs that followed The Eraser’s tracks was the highlight of the night. Yorke returned to the stage with his acoustic guitar, playing a gut-wrenching version of “All For The Best,” a Mark Mulcahy cover he recorded for the Ciao My Shining Star compilation. It was the first time he has ever performed the song live; surreal and sublime. He then played “Fog” - a haunting Radiohead b-side from the "Knives Out" single – before sitting down at the piano for an incredible version of “Everything In Its Right Place.” It was a blissful trio that ranks in my top concert moments.

Yorke is by no means the only focal point of Atoms for Peace, however. Flea, perhaps the most recognizable bassist of modern times, provided a kinetic counterpoint across the stage all night long, bopping and swaying as he lay down the tracks upon which Thom ran. Sporting a teal mohawk, he looked the part as well; this is no backup player, this is a worthy partner in crime. Likewise Nigel Godrich, longtime Radiohead producer, is a force to be reckoned with. Over the course of the evening Godrich switched from instrument to instrument, playing synths, keys, guitar, and percussion. As always, one gets the feeling that much of his influence happens behind the scenes.

Atoms for Peace’s potential was only reinforced by the night’s final run of songs – Radiohead B-side “Paperbag Writer,” “Judge, Jury, and Executioner,” “Hollow Earth,” and “Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses.” On the last, the final song of the evening, Yorke and Flea faced off mid-stage, dissecting the tune in a bifurcating jam. When they finally reconnected at the end of the song, Yorke dropped to his knees. He wasn’t the only one staggered by this nascent group.

Atoms For Peace Roseland Ballroom Setlist:

01. The Eraser
02. Analyse
03. The Clock
04. Black Swan
05. Skip Divided
06. Atoms For Peace
07. And It Rained All Night
08. Harrowdown Hill
09. Cymbal Rush

Encore (Thom Yorke Solo)

10. All For The Best
11. Fog
12. Everything In Its Right Place

Encore (Atoms for Peace)

13. Paperbag Writer
14. Judge, Jury and Executioner
15. The Hollow Earth
16. Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses