Radiohead spin-off The Smile have performed their first trio of gigs and fans have been reacting to the performance.
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The group, made up of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, performed three gigs at Magazine, London at 8pm last night (January 29) and 1am and 8am this morning (January30).
Each of the shows were live streamed to audiences around the world so fans across different time zones could enjoy the performance.
Highlights of the gigs according to fans on social media included Greenwood playing both a harp and piano simultaneously, a new version of ‘Skating On The Surface’ and a rendition of new single ‘The Smoke’. Fans also reacted to Peaky Blinders star Cilian Murphy reading a pre-recorded rendition of William Blake’s ‘The Smile’ at the start of the show.
The group also played several new songs in addition to ones they premiered at the Glastonbury live-stream last year. You can see the fan reaction, plus the full set list below.
Next up, show #2 https://t.co/ToW62zSilU pic.twitter.com/CbbOCzSBob
— The Smile (@thesmiletheband) January 30, 2022
As much as I love in-person concerts, I hope livestreams never go away because then I’d miss incredible performances like this one. The Smile with Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood & Tom Skinner. One more livestream left. https://t.co/XjFVQSUZYk
— Mari ⁷ (@Mariwil74) January 30, 2022
THE SMILE’s Livestream performance was mind blowingly good. Best Thom Yorke songs in a whiiile. That record is gonna drop suuuper soon and I’m already calling it as AOTY.
— Jeff Klemm (@thisisJeffKlemm) January 30, 2022
So it seems that #CillianMurphy collaborated in #Radiohead’s @thomyorke new group @thesmiletheband on last night show by reading ‘The Smile’ by William Blake.
The way I’ve been listening to ‘The Smoke’ on repeat since it was released last day
Stream:https://t.co/tcjRPxxLjj pic.twitter.com/ywvEC1KJDN
— Cill-i-am
(@cill_i_am) January 30, 2022
If anyone else watched #TheSmile this evening then you know. Not sure how to get back to reality after that. Unbelievable
pic.twitter.com/X52LHUcz0L
— Frank Lucas (@FrankLucas87) January 29, 2022
Amazing to catch the first shows by @thesmiletheband (Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Tom Skinner) at @magazine_ldn in the early hours of this morning!
Incredible new venue. Awesome live set!
The Smile
1am
Magazine, London pic.twitter.com/0DI6E2nwMn
— Chris Wincup (@chriswincup) January 30, 2022
Highlights of The Smile's gig tonight:
– Jonny Greenwood playing guitar
– Jonny Greenwood playing bass
– Jonny Greenwood playing bass with a bow
– Jonny Greenwood playing bass with his feet
– Jonny Greenwood playing piano with one hand and a harp with the other
– Jonny Greenwood— James Chapple
(@chapplejc) January 29, 2022
Bought a ticket to The Smile live show stream and Jonny Greenwood is playing a harp with one hand while he plays a synthesizer with the other, so I think my admission price is already covered.
— Josh (@JoshMLabelle) January 29, 2022
The Smile played:
‘Pana-Vision’
‘The Smoke’
‘Speech Bubbles’
‘Thin Thing’
‘Open the Floodgates’
‘Free In The Knowledge’
‘A Hairdryer’
‘Waving A White Flag’
‘We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Brings’
‘Skirting On The Surface’
‘The Same’
‘The Opposite’
‘You Will Never Work In Television Again’
Encore:
‘Just Eyes And Mouth’
Earlier this week, the group premiered new single ‘The Smoke’, the follow-up to the trio’s debut single ‘You Will Never Work In Television Again’, which arrived earlier this month.
Yorke also performed The Smile’s ‘Free In The Knowledge’ at the Royal Albert Hall back in October as part of the Letters Live event, footage of which was released last month.
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