Thom Yorke plays last-minute, solo-centric Latitude 2015 set

Just after midnight on the second day of Latitude 2015, Thom Yorke played a last-minute set at the iArena, announced just hours before.

Joined by Nigel Godrich - who broke the news of Yorke’s appearance on Saturday morning - he showcased material from his two solo albums, ‘The Eraser’ and last year’s ‘Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes’.

Technical difficulties led to a muted start. Before arriving on stage, Yorke’s entourage spent an hour setting up synths, fancy visuals and GoPro cameras. Turns out everything wasn’t quite ready. A few jagged beats kicked off the set, but everything fell silent, Yorke scratching his head before departing the stage.

Glitches were nearly a constant, but the show soon developed into an all-consuming, showcase of Yorke’s solo work. “Let the machines speak to you,” he declared in the opening seconds, and what followed was a swarm of heady electronics. Ditching the gadgets at various times for a bass and an acoustic guitar, Yorke’s best moments arrived somewhat surprisingly with ‘Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes’’ more subtle cuts. ‘Guess Again’ was a shifting highlight, while ‘Truth Ray’’s drifting ease helped set the mood for a set that at points, seemed confused between all-out hedonism and muted celebration.

Hundreds turned up expecting Radiohead cuts, but given Yorke announced the show alongside his latest LP art, this was never likely. In soundcheck, Atoms For Peace’s ‘Default’ could be heard tested, but it never ended up making an appearance. Not quite the hysteria of Ed Sheeran’s Friday night secret set then, but Yorke still offered a reminder of his beat-centric alter ego.