Thom Yorke (Atoms for Peace) – Outdoor Theatre

Originally credited as Thom Yorke????? on all of Coachella’s advertisements, the since-named Atoms for Peace began the final slate of music to bring Coachella 2010 to a close. And what a closing it was. Atoms for Peace played the entirety of Thom Yorke’s 2006 solo album The Eraser and then some as the wind picked up and cooled off the Coachella valley. Atoms for Peace funked up each number considerably and Flea’s contributions on bass rivaled the best of his material on any Red Hot Chili Peppers album, his head bobbing as if he had no spinal cord with each successive note. “Analyse,” “The Eraser” and “Harrowdown Hill” took on new life as Joey Waronker, Nigel Godrich (Radiohead’s go-to producer) and Mauro Refosco expanded each song into explosive revelations while Yorke sprung ecstatically waving his arms. Following The Eraser songs Yorke returned to do three songs solo, a new yet-to-be-named song relying a looping effect and an amazing doubleshot of Radiohead tracks, the former “Airbag” done only with acoustic guitar and the latter the stunning “Everything in its Right Place” with Yorke manning the piano. The rest of the band returned to end out with a triple shot of new Yorke/Atoms for Peace songs that he implied the audience should “freak out to.” Humorously stating, “Because you need to freak out!” “Judge, Jury and Executioner,” “The Hollow Earth” and “Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses” all absolutely slayed live. If Yorke is serious about keeping Atoms for Peace together, he could have another band on his hands that could be as hugely popular as Radiohead is.