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[UPDATE] Radiohead Management Says NO Concert, Occupy Wall Street Says It's On

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[UPDATE BELOW] The press conference about today's surprise free Radiohead show at Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan is happening now, and there are conflicting reports about what the hell is going on here. A spokesperson for the Occupy Wall Street protesters is telling reporters that the show is confirmed for 4 p.m., but the band's publicist tells us it is "officially not true." We'll update and liveblog as we know more.

Update 1:43 p.m.: The Occupy Wall Street crowd says don't believe the band's management, believe the demonstrators who are hungry for more publicity. Hero Vincent, an artist who is serving their pr spokesperson, tells us Radiohead's management is denying it because they don't want a million people here. "They will 100 percent be here," he says. But it's "not confirmed that there will be a show, only confirmed that they will make a performance." A protester also insists they have had direct email confirmation from band members that they will perform. From thomyorkecreep@yahoo.com?

Meanwhile, the band's publicist has updated their website with this: "RADIOHEAD IS NOT PLAYING WALL STREET TODAY nor were they ever confirmed to do so." But what's The Universal Sigh reporting?!

Update 1:55 p.m.: A source with MoveOn.org also maintains that Radiohead WILL play, and that the band's management has "officially" denied any performance because the band wanted this to be "only for the protesters." A spokesperson for the Mayor's office has not responded to requests for comment, but police have put in new barricades at Wall Street and Nassau.

The possibility of a big, disorganized free concert calls to mind the great Drake shitshow concert at the South Street Seaport last year, and the Justin Bieber mall riot!

We're getting the sense that Radiohead may have wanted to show up unannounced and play for the demonstrators, but someone connected with the protest leaked it to Gawker to get the publicity they're now savoring.

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(Bethany O'Grady/Gothamist)

Update 2:30 p.m.: They're currently passing out cough drops (above) to help demonstrators shout louder. Reporting from the scene, Bethany O'Grady tells us, "This is where the action is happening and where Radiohead will address the public. The protesters are joking that Radiohead will be giving massages with happy endings." Anyone else feel like you're watching a sad live-action remake of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown?

Update 2:39 p.m.: Rough guesstimate: there are approximately 1,500 people down at Zuccotti Park, with many streaming in.

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Gothamist commenter "Far Left" posted this little gem in the comments.

Update 2:53 p.m.: CNN has set up a unit at Zuccotti Park, and CNN's Jeremy Ryan has not walked back confirmation of a Radiohead performance. One protester asks us, "Are you ready for the crystallization of the theft of this movement? Last night was the shift in this movement." Here's a photo from the park, taken moments ago:

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Christopher Robbins/Gothamist

Update 3 p.m.: An Occupy Wall Street spokesman, Hero Vincent, claims to have direct contact with the band, and insists he has received "reconfirmation" that there will be a performance. (If true, we hope they vary the set list a little from the two all but identical shows at Roseland!)

But then whoever's doing the Twitter feed for Occupy Wall Street retweeted this: "#Radiohead pulled out b/c the surprise concert was announced to the world by #occupywallstreet #Fail." We get the sense that this loose affiliation of leaderless protest groups is sending mixed messages!

Update 3:20 p.m.: Patrick Bruner, the Occupy Wall Street spokesman who earlier confirmed the concert, emails this carefully-worded statement: "The concert is unconfirmed. Sorry about this - I'm in the dark as much as you as to what's going on right now." Hero Vincent, another Occupy Wall Street spokesman, says Radiohead are on their way, and are going to be in the middle where general assemblies are held. This really is The Great Pumpkin Hipster Charlie Brown.

Update 3:30 p.m.: On Facebook, Radiohead writes, "We wish the best of luck to the protesters there, but contrary to earlier rumours, we will not be appearing today at Occupy Wall Street." At Zuccotti Park, there is a wire being strung from the media booth to the middle where the general assemblies are held. Hero Vincent tells us that at 4 p.m. everyone will be asked to sit down and let Radiohead walk right through the park to the center were the media center is. And then the Great Pumpkin will rise up over the pumpkin patch...

At 3:45 we will be starting a new post with a live stream of... something?

Update 3:40: p.m. Patrick Bruner, the Occupy Wall Street spokesman who earlier confirmed the concert, emails, "I got hoaxed. Radiohead was never confirmed. Completely our fault. Apologies. The band were victims in this hoax as well." For more, we turn to Fox News!

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(Bethany O'Grady/Gothamist)

Watch the LiveStream here.

(Additional reporting by Bethany O'Grady and Christopher Robbins)

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

Comments [rss]

  • Christopher Robbin, on the scene!  It's safe to say that Wall Street will be safe from the perils of Ron Paul... for now.

  • StarryGordon

    Take the square footage of the area.  If people can hardly move, that could be as little as 3-4 sf per person.  There were some less densely packed parts, but basically the park was full.  So my estimate may be low.  Do the math.

    I don't know where you've been all these years but there are always rumors about celebrities, especially rock stars, showing up at concerts, clubs and public events.  Back in the day it was usually Bob Dylan.  People like to make these things up.  Maybe you shouldn't chase rumors so eagerly and credulously.

    As for the protesters being somehow all bad because someone started this rumor, who knows?  Maybe it was provocateur stuff.  Maybe you started it.  I don't give a rat, myself, and probably not too many other people do, either.

  • B00Klaw

    3K-4K...ARE YOU CRAZY?
    Try more along the lines of 1500 people and
    half of them were Radio head fans.....Please stop inflating the numbers.
    You only help to undermine our cause.

    Further discussion on the subject here:

    http://brooklynian.com/forum/p...

  • B00Klaw

    More information here:
    http://brooklynian.com/forum/p...

  • StarryGordon

    I was down there at 4-5 p.m.  I did not know about the Radiohead story; I was there to bring some useful items like space blankets and food.  I did not see Radiohead or any band of any sort, but people were packed in the park fairly solidly, so it was difficult to move around.  Given the size of the park (130'x250' or 32500sf) that would mean something like 3000-4000 people.  Most of them seemed fairly cheerful, so I don't think they were merely disappointed Radiohead fans.  There were a lot of tourists and a lot of media types with dog tags and big cameras taking pictures of everything including each other.   The cops are apparently continuing to be cool.

  • B00Klaw

    Further discussion on the subject here:

    http://brooklynian.com/forum/p...

  • petey2

    another lie. This time used to boost the numbers at the park.

  • B00Klaw

    I am part of the protest and I agree wholeheartedly that this was a poor tactic to increase the declining number of protesters. In essence we just alienated an entire group of people by wasting their time.

    Not a good move.

    My blog:
    Brooklynian.com

  • palmettostate2002

    AHHHH HAAAAAA.  Hysterical!! What a damn clusterfuck these miscreants have created.  These hipster fuckers are really pathetic.  Don't even know why they're there except they hate "the man".  Go back home to your shitty apartment in Williamsburg, smoke your weed, order pizza and shut your trap.

  • NVRMOR

    Watch the George soros sponsered wall st occupation live stream here:
    http://gothamist.com/2011/09/3...

  • The anti-Wall Street peeps gonna need a good PR campaign to recover from this one.

  • Goes to show how many people care about seeing radiohead and not what the protest is about

  • B00Klaw

    Pisses me off that 40 people show up for the protest on a typical week day and when some one announces a Radio head concert 200 people show up. I wish they would get their priorities straight.

    Corporate America is raping the American Society and some of these people only care about hearing show tunes.

    Unbelievable.

    My blog:
    Brooklynian.com

  • jonas cramer

    dumb troll is being dumb

  • Fafou Dabou

    HIpster Shit Show commencing in
    5
    4
    3
    2
    1
    Go!

  • jibbly

    Wah waaaaaaaaaaah.

  • Derek Fox

    lol of course not. Do you know how technical it is to setup a Radiohead concert?  They got a lot of shit to set up.  it's not just some bongos and shit.

  • they just put it up on their facebook

    Radiohead We
    wish the best of luck to the protesters there, but contrary to earlier
    rumours, we will not be appearing today at Occupy Wall Street
    Like · · Share · 23 minutes ago

  • B00Klaw

    IT is too late. People are pouring into downtown Manhattan expecting a concert . The Media will harp on this unruly crowd and the pigs will be set upon us. This will not end well. All this in the name of a concert and not the movement....WTF!

    How counter productive.

    My blog:
    Brooklynian.com

  • meganlibrarian

    Troll.

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