Not only are they one of the most innovative bands musically but Radiohead has also re-thought the whole business of the music industry. No, I’m not talking about their downloadable latest album In Rainbows, I’m talking about their initiative to lessen the giant carbon footprint that touring leaves. Yes, plenty of musicians are out there touting their biofuel buses etc. but as we all know Radiohead is not just another band. Radiohead has thought past the surface and researched and planned out actions to not only lower their personal impact but their fans impact as well at the shows they hold. When planning the tour Radiohead discovered “the biggest impact comes from how the fans get to the shows.” That’s why they chose their shows in Europe and the U.K. to be at venues where there was little parking but easy access to public transportation. Although the U.S. poses a little more effort, lead singer Thom York said “some of our best ever shows have been in the US, but there’s 80,000 people there and they’ve all been sitting in traffic jams for five or six hours with their engines running to get there, which is bollocks.” Radiohead has stressed in radio programs and on the internet for their fans to carpool and use public transportation as much as possible. In Atlanta, the band “offered early entry to the gig for ticketed concert-goers that showed up with evidence they’d traveled to the venue using MARTA, the local mass-transit system.”
In addition to asking fans to be more conscious of their travel method, Radiohead has taken various steps fo their own to make a greener show. They are not transporting all their gear from the U.K. to the States for their shows, instead they are renting pieces, equipment and stage gear (except for their personal guitars of course). They are using 100% LED lighting for their shows, taking biofeul buses as much as possible, avoiding flying when possible and are passing on half-used mic batteries for personal use to lower waste. They’ve pretty much thought of it all. If this isn’t reason enough to catch one of their shows, maybe being one of the best bands of our time is. I’m sure you can tell I’m a fan, and I’ll be at their show tonight!
GET INTO IT
Why not?
Now you can see an amazing show and know that you’re supporting a band that goes to all lengths to entertain without stomping all over the environment,
http://www.radiohead.com/tourdates/
Bring it
Here’s an article about the LED lighting from their tour production manager,
http://www.radiohead.com/themostgiganticflyingmouthforsometime/
Not so guilty pleasure
Named the best album of the past five years, nominated for Album of the Year, awarded Best Alternative Album and Best Engineered Album, named one of the 500 greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone, Radiohead’s Kid A album is a must-have.
http://www.earthmoment.com/product/5064531/OK-Computer
