First show in seven years

Radiohead made a dramatic return to live performance in Madrid on Wednesday night, opening their 2025 European tour with a career-spanning set that marked the band’s first full concert in seven years. Playing in the round at the Movistar Arena, the British group leaned on fan favorites from “OK Computer,” “Kid A” and “In Rainbows” while folding in newer material that guitarist Jonny Greenwood has developed during side projects. The atmosphere inside the venue was described as electric, with fans unsure until recently whether the band would tour again. The show also unveiled a slightly reconfigured live lineup, including an extra percussionist to handle the denser arrangements the group now prefers.

What the comeback means

The strong opener immediately positions Radiohead as one of 2025’s biggest touring stories and is likely to fuel demand for festival slots and documentary content. For the broader music business, it is a reminder that legacy acts with deep catalogs can still dominate headlines even in a year crowded with pop and K-pop releases. Promoters in Australia, Latin America and East Asia will be watching European ticket sales to see whether booking the band later in the year makes sense. And for fans, seeing Thom Yorke and company back onstage—playing old songs with sharper, more rhythmic arrangements—closes a long speculative chapter about the band’s future and raises hopes for new studio work.