Radiohead have marked the 30th anniversary of The Bends by unveiling never-before-seen footage of Thom Yorke performing an intimate solo set in 1995. The rare VHS recording captures Yorke on March 28 at Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern, offering a raw and stripped-down take on some of the band’s most iconic songs from that era.
With just an acoustic guitar, Yorke delivers haunting renditions of Nice Dream, High and Dry, Street Spirit (Fade Out), Fake Plastic Trees, and Thinking About You. Before starting, he humbly tells the audience, “Here are some songs to help your beer go down,” setting the tone for a deeply personal performance.
Released in 1995, The Bends was a pivotal album for Radiohead, solidifying their place in alternative rock history. It marked their first collaboration with producer Nigel Godrich, who would go on to shape every Radiohead album that followed. Alongside the songs performed in the Toronto set, the album also spawned classics like Just, My Iron Lung, and Planet Telex, cementing the band’s reputation for emotional depth and sonic experimentation.
This newly unearthed footage offers fans a rare glimpse into a defining period for both Yorke and the band, showcasing the raw emotion and artistry that made The Bends such a landmark record.