In 2020, Radiohead began releasing archival concert footage via YouTube, thanks to their extensive Radiohead Public Library project. The series of shows ran from April to July that year, concluding with a 1997 festival set as lockdowns (temporarily) lifted. Now — a year after the original series began — Radiohead have announced that a second series of archival shows is on the way.
“We rummaged in the Radiohead Public Library and found a few more concerts from a life that we all yearn to return to,” reads a statement from the band on Instagram.“Thanks to science and vaccines, we are a step closer to that.”
In the meantime, the second run of unearthed shows is set to begin with a rarely-seen performance at London’s 93 Feet East in 2008. Teased in clips via Instagram, it will air on Radiohead’s YouTube channel this Friday (April 9). More shows will come every Friday for seven weeks, at 8pm UK time.
The band has also announced the reissue of crew t-shirts designed by longtime collaborator Stanley Donwood, in recognition of live crew members hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic as it forced cancellations across the music industry. Radiohead had already announced a year-long break from music in 2020, though frontman Thom Yorke had to call off the US leg of his Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes tour. Proceeds from the merch will go to various crew support charities.
Earlier this month, Radiohead also joined TikTok, where they made their debut with a creepy “wake up call” from recurring character Chieftain Mews. Watch that here, and view the announcement of the new run of archival shows in the Instagram post below.
