Looking back, the Latitude version remains many fans' favorite iteration. It’s "The Present Tense" in its purest state: a song about escaping into the dance to avoid the "heavy weight" of reality.
The lyrics— “Keep it moving, keep it light” —felt like a mantra for survival. In the context of 2009, seeing Thom perform it solo emphasized the raw songwriting at the core of his genius, long before the lush, orchestral arrangements of A Moon Shaped Pool would bring the song to its final studio form seven years later. Looking back, the Latitude version remains many fans'
While the set was packed with The Eraser highlights and stripped-back Radiohead classics, it was a brand-new, unnamed song that stopped everyone in their tracks. We now know it as but back then, it was a fragile, bossa-nova-inflected mystery. In the context of 2009, seeing Thom perform
The Day the Earth Stood Still: Remembering Thom Yorke at Latitude 2009 The Day the Earth Stood Still: Remembering Thom
This sounds like a deep dive into a legendary moment in lore. That Latitude 2009 performance was the first time the world heard "The Present Tense," and it remains one of the most intimate snapshots of Thom Yorke’s solo evolution.
This performance wasn't just about a new track; it was about the solo identity of Thom Yorke. It bridged the gap between the rock icon of the 90s and the experimental composer he was becoming. The Latitude set proved that Thom didn't need the wall of sound provided by Jonny, Colin, Ed, and Phil to command a festival crowd—all he needed was that unmistakable falsetto and a few haunting chords.
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