Radiohead 4-4-1996

This image comes from the show that Matt Osterlund, Molly Milroy & I attended at Chicago's METRO.
The story is as follow:
Thursday, April 4, 1996
The Metro Chicago Theater

After a wonderful week in Chicago for spring break, Matt, Molly & I needed to go out with a bang. We were bumming around Wrigly and came across a theater marquee labeled with the heading Radiohead. This was the Cabaret Metro now simply known as the MERTO, a long standing music venue in the city. I had some (small) knowledge of the band on the marquee, Radiohead had done a song for the summer movie Clueless, so we tried to get some tickets.
There were some issues:
a. it was pouring rain
b. we were under age
c. we looked like out of towners and no one would scalp to us.

Then our luck changed; as we were about to go home a small man came out the front doors of the theater and approached us. He said "You guys want to go to the show?" we nodded with excitement. "How much?"I said. the short man then smiles and says "No Charge!" He then handed us the tickets & neck lanyards and off we went.

Remember this was 1996 and Radiohead was indi-rock famous not mainstream & we had no clue what was going on.

The walked into the venue and up to the VIP space. The main floor had people on it but  the theater was not packed and the VIP are had a bunch of record people standing around. Matt & I nabbed a free drink (yes mom, booze & beer) and waited for the show to start.

The lights dimmed, the smoke got thicker and the man who gave us the tickets walked out on stage. Molly hit me in the arm and pointed, I just thought he was the promoter but I was wrong...it was Thom york the front man. (Que shocked music)

The show was amazing, Radiohead was sad and ART broken, "Fake Plastic Trees" made me well up with tears & it really was a fantastic show!

After the show WE ventured down to the main floor to say thank you for the tickets.
Molly approached Thom, we chatted for awhile and we took the set list.

Now that is an amazing night!

Matt Osterlund's Version
The way that night transpired, what got us to that point, all the things that had to line up just right. Meeting those girls the night before at Second City, them telling us they'd be at The Metro the next night clubbing, then we show up to... a big "Sold Out" sign and "Radiohead" on the billboard. Then shopping for records next door, leaving and deciding to look at The Metro calendar to see who was playing next week, only at that point does a short goofy looking british dude in a hoodie come out the front door and ask us three kids if we wanted free tickets to the show. I remember seeing their "tour bus" which was a Uhaul with a trailer, now to think where they're at. Man, what a night. I'll never forget that night, the emotion, "Fake Plastic Trees" being played, me in tears with two great friends in a huge hug, it really was great.