When Radiohead announced their first tour in seven years, the Oxford quintet made a bold decision: instead of the traditional end-stage setup, they would perform in-the-round on a small circular stage positioned at the center of each arena.
The decision reflected the band’s commitment to creating a more intimate connection with audiences, despite performing in some of Europe’s largest venues.
The results exceeded expectations. At London’s O2 Arena in late November, where Radiohead played four sold-out shows, they broke the venue’s attendance record night after night. The final concert drew 22,355 people, setting a new benchmark for the iconic venue and underscoring both the band’s enduring appeal and the production team’s ability to deliver exceptional sound to every seat.
To meet the demanding requirements of the in-the-round format — including a dynamic 360-degree LED screen suspended above the stage, capable of transforming from a decagon into a star shape while rotating — L-Acoustics Certified Partner Britannia Row Productions and FOH engineer Simon Hodge deployed a comprehensive L-Acoustics L Series system.
Hodge, who has worked with Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood since 2020 on their project The Smile, was among the first engineers to take the L2 on tour. His experience with the system during The Smile’s 2024 tour convinced him it was the right choice for Radiohead’s more ambitious production.
“I was struck by the directionality of the L2 and how controlled the low-mid is thanks to the continuous baffle,” explains Hodge. “But just as important was efficiency. It’s a relatively small number of lightweight enclosures, making it efficient in terms of production resources and easy to load in and out”.
This efficiency was crucial. The arrays were installed in the center of each venue, requiring careful rigging considerations. Tight timelines — with cable bridges running from FOH to the center of the arena and PA load-in typically starting at 6:00 a.m. — demanded a system that could be deployed quickly and reliably.
The creative design for this tour began more than a year ago and involved considerable planning. The geometry for audio coverage was demanding. We needed a system capable of delivering consistent coverage while minimizing interference with the visual production and accommodating audiences on all sides of the stage at varying elevations, continues Hodge.
Precision design solves complex coverage challenges
Working alongside production designer Josh Loyd, Hodge’s final design consisted of eight hangs of three L2 and one L2D positioned at the corners of a square enclosing the circular stage, providing consistent 360-degree coverage. A total of 12 A10 Wide cabinets handled front-fill coverage.
The low-frequency system included 32 KS28 subwoofers flown centrally on a custom cart managing all cabling, amplified controllers, and rigging, complemented by 24 ground-stacked KS21 subwoofers. The system was powered by 37 LA7.16 and 13 LA12X amplified controllers.
All L2 arrays were deployed in supercardioid mode, with Panflex horizontal coverage angles carefully adjusted to avoid exciting reflective surfaces in each venue. In larger arenas, small Kara II delays restored high-frequency energy to the upper rows.
The extended vertical coverage of the L2D proved essential for reaching the front rows without interfering with sightlines due to the dynamic LED installation. “Thanks to the excellent off-axis response of the L2, we achieved great coverage everywhere”, notes Hodge. The centralized KS28 deployment created coherent low-frequency response throughout the venue while keeping the stage remarkably quiet — a critical factor for the band’s performance.
The Soundvision software from L-Acoustics was key during the design phase.
With the latest updates modeling the TM array, dispersion became fast and straightforward. We were able to evaluate the need for delays, aim the arrays based on seating geometry, and align front-fills and delays in advance, saving valuable time on-site, says Hodge.
Loyd’s design placed the amplified controller carts behind the arrays and in front of the cable bridges, allowing the audio team to work independently and streamlining daily operations. The team used Milan-AVB as the main audio protocol, whose seamless integration with the LA7.16 and LA12X simplified programming and patching. A P1 was used as backup and to tune the system via the M1 platform.
Exceptional results at historic shows
“The L2 is a game-changer in terms of deployment speed and coverage uniformity once properly modeled in Soundvision”, concludes Hodge. “Despite the challenges of an in-the-round show, we achieved spectacular sound all the way to the last row”.
These historic shows were as successful as they were because of the sound. Both the artist and the monitor engineer were astonished by how quiet the stage was, and the production team was impressed by the system’s performance, adds Hodge.
The tour received widespread critical acclaim. NME awarded five stars to the opening London show, praising “a visceral energy and a refined spectacle, delivered with remarkable generosity”. The review concluded: “For a band once uncomfortable with the label ‘arena rock,’ no one does it better today”.
Image descriptions:
- LA_Radiohead_1©Jeremy Lloyd – L-Acoustics Certified Partner Britannia Row Productions and FOH engineer Simon Hodge deployed an L Series system for the in-the-round production.
- LA_Radiohead_2©Alex Lake – Simon Hodge’s final design consisted of eight hangs of three L2 and one L2D positioned at the corners of a square enclosing the circular stage, providing uniform 360-degree coverage.
- LA_Radiohead_3©Alex Lake – Simon Hodge’s previous experience with L-Acoustics on The Smile tour convinced him it was the right choice for Radiohead’s more ambitious production.
- LA_Radiohead_4©Alex Lake – The final concert drew 22,355 attendees, setting a new record for the iconic venue and demonstrating both the band’s lasting appeal and the production team’s ability to deliver exceptional sound to every seat.
- LA_Radiohead_5©Jeremy Lloyd – The extended vertical coverage of the L-Acoustics L2D was essential to reach the front rows without sightline interference from the dynamic LED installation.
