Saket Vora

On Friday, I dashed back to my apartment so I could leave as early as possible to Philadelphia, where Radiohead (one of my favorite bands) was playing that night. I managed to hit the road at around 4pm and arrived there at 7pm. This was my first visit to the city of brotherly love since elementary school. The venue for the show was the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby, which lies just on the westerly edge of proper Philadelphia.

I soon met up with my good friend Donny Katz and two of his friends from New Jersey, Chris and Chris S. (for Scarpa). They are roommates at Rutgers University, where Chris studies business and Chris S. studies history. We headed over to a nearby pizza parlor for a bite to eat before the show. We were simply buzzing with excitement about the show; my three companions have an effervescent adoration of Radiohead that never falls into an oft-encountered state of blind obsession with any given band. They understand the uniqueness and masterful skill of the band, from the musical composition of the songs (they are musicians) to the context and influence of factors both societal and personal of the songs. Compared to them, I am a honest ‘newbie’ - my deep interest in Radiohead only began to snowball last summer. Nonetheless, Chris and Chris welcomed my presence warmly without prejudice and I immediately enjoyed their company.

The show started after 9pm and I could see with anxious anticipation that the road crew were setting up snare drums in the front that is an indicator of the song There There, which ranks as one of my most favorite songs. At long last, Radiohead took the stage amidst raucous cheers and launched into what would ultimately be a wonderful setlist.

The band tried out many of their new songs, which have a softer and Bends-ish feel to them. The treats for me in particular were There There, Paranoid Android, Dollars and Cents, I Might Be Wrong, and of course, Let Down. Other highlights included the National Anthem, Arpeggi, and Idioteque. Let Down was really special because it is one of the band’s most beautiful songs, has rarely been played lived after 8 years, but also (I learned from Chris and Donny) that it itself is notoriously difficult to play. The song features three unique guitar parts and each follow different time signatures.

Unlike most other songs in which bandmembers and gauge whether they are synched properly by listening to each others beats, Let Down apparently forces the band to forge ahead on their own with intense concentration through what must be quite disorienting to play. The end result however is a magnificently complex and layered melody which was a thrill to hear live.

The only downside of the night was that I happened to be standing next to a belligerant drunkard. This man, who consumed five beers in just over an hour, repeatedly tried talking with me during the songs. When he saw me taking some photos, he asked that I email me them and proceeded on reciting his email address. Wanting to enjoy the show, I leaned over and told him that “we’ll talk after the show”. Being drunk, he apparently mis-interpreted my sincerity as a brush-off, and started cursing at me. When Donny asked me what was up and I told him, the Drunk’s irritation spread to Donny as well. After the show, I turned my bank to this guy and followed my companions out of the balcony. The entire time the Drunk cursed us and berated us. I was not going to let this idiot ruin what was a great evening, so I simply ignored him completely (also, I’m not very confrontational and there is that whole ahimsa tradition by Gandhi). My companions stuck up for me, and things started to get a little heated when the Drunk actually shoved Donny a bit. He even started taunting us with yells of ’see you outside!’ The security guards in the lobby must have taken notice of the Drunk’s exceedingly belligerent manner towards us, because I heard behind me a remarkably soften tone when he asked me again to send me his pictures. Annoyed and hoping to end this ridiculous episode, I asked for clarification of the email domain and the Drunk had to actually ask his friend. We finally ducked out of a side exit into pouring rain. The rain was welcomed however after the hot theatre. It was immensely gratifying to hear behind me the confident words of support from Chris, Chris S., and Donny during that whole affair. When Chris S. marveled at how they always manage to sit next to the only belligerent drunk in the venue, I said it was karma. You see, over dinner Donny and Chris told me about the bad luck that surrounds Street Spirit (Fade Out), the closing song to the Bend’s album. Donny once listened to it in the morning and that afternoon his bike was stolen. Chris listened to it on the morning of September 11th. And I had listened to it on the drive up to Philadelphia. Needless to say, it is now off my song rotation!

After arriving at Donny’s apartment we dryed a bit and discussed the amazing show we were just witness to. Spirits were high . We convinced Donny to skip his early morning crew practice (who wants to row in the pouring rain?) and then at around 1am walked back out in the rain to a pizza place that Chris S. once stumbled across some time ago. It was a small store but was busy because it was one of the rare pizza parlors that also sold beer. Donny explained to me that in Philadelphia and New Jersey there are only a limited number of alcohol selling licenses and that such restaurants are very rare. There were two refrigerators, approximately the size that one might find in a small gas station mart, with a decidely remarkable selection of import beers. I spotted four different kinds of Paulaner, Leffe Belgian blonde (nonexistant in my local grocery stores), a Bavarian brand I have yet to see in the States, and the venerable Weihenstephaner Hefe-Weisse. What I could only find in a specialty store was found here in the most unlikely of places! So for our second meal of that evening, we huddled still wet around a small table eating greasy feel-good pizza enjoying a fine beverage.

I loved it.

The next morning I woke up early (a good habit I suppose) on the futon in Donny’s room and had breakfast with Donny as he prepared for his Rotary Scholarship interview. He came back at around 12pm by which time Chris and Chris S. had gotten ready. We walked over the Marathon Grill, which sits at the edge of the University of Pennsylvania’s campus for lunch and to meet with one of Donny’s other friends from high school, Randy, who attends UPenn’s and is pursuing a double degree at the Wharton School of Business as well as Nursing. On a whim, Donny remarked how we could order one of their chocolate chip cookie dough pancakes as an appetizier; an idea that was quickly agreed upon by everywhere. Randy was going to be in town for a week, and over lunch he told us more about UPenn and what he is studying. After lunch, we asked Randy if he could show us the esteemed and famous Wharton School of Business. Randy generously gave us a great walking tour of the entire UPenn campus. He showed us the whole Wharton building with its eye-opening facilities, such as individually heated italian leather lecture room seats and specially imported Indian hardwood. The power of alumni was on display as well, with nearly all the numerous study rooms and lecture halls named after someone. UPenn is the oldest university in the country (Harvard and William & Mary were started as single discipline colleges) and its founder was Ben Franklin. The campus, though being nearly in the shadow of the imposing Philadelphia skyscrapers, still retains a very ‘university’ feel to it. Much appreciation to Randy for taking several hours of his day to show us around the campus. I bid farewell to Donny and my two new friends Chris and Chris upon return to the apartment and began driving back to Maryland at around 4:30pm. This time it only took me about 2 hours.

My trip to Philadelphia proved to be quite a memorable experience. I never expected to have such a fulfilling and enjoyable time there — just goes to show what a difference interesting company can make!