Climbing Up The Walls

Went over to Hugo's earlier tonight to watch the baseball game. I like Hugo's for baseball watching cause during baseball game hours the place is mostly just me and the bartender and a few local drunks.

But tonight: people came in around 9pm and played pool. And they put their quarters in the jukebox. And the first song they played was Climbing Up The Walls and I was 100% transported back 10 years to a time when OK Computer couldn't go a day without getting put in the CD player. To the year 2001 aka the first time I saw Radiohead play live, at the Gorge Amphitheatre out in Middle Of Nowhere WA. And as I recall after a fucking BLISTERING set they came back for an encore with Climbing Up The Walls.

I don't have conscious memory of the very first time I heard the recorded take of Climbing Up The Walls. But I sure as shit remember the first and only time I've heard it live. God damn. If there was a place and time to be, it was at the Gorge in June of 2001. And I remember it that clearly. I know the year. I know the month. I'm pretty sure it was in the latter half of the month.

Is there anything better than the Amnesiac tour at age 20? After a night of quite literally zero sleep but of many many Mirror Pond Pale Ales? And how about if they play the bulk of OK Computer? And if the 2nd encore is comprised of The Bends followed by Street Spirit? With a third encore of Motion Picture Soundtrack?

I've seen an awful lot of live music. But man, for a time and place, that Radiohead show probably can't be beat.