As the evening drew to a close, amongst the 50,000 or so crowd at Coachella, below shooting stars and an illuminated pyramid, dub poured from the show's loudspeakers… the music was interrupted by unusual electronic beats and bloops, as Radiohead graced the stage, opening with "There There," which featured the flaring arms of Jonny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien on tribal drums.

Despite rumors of not performing (due to Thom Yorke's throat infection), the show went on, in a strong, powerful performance heightened by the hot desert air and dark atmosphere.

The 90-minute set was filled with power and beauty, and though Thom Yorke's voice faltered a bit, it was still as feverish as the crowd members that passed out that weekend.

From the commanding "2+2=5" to the powerful beat-driven "Idioteque," the evening was full of highlights.

The soft, atmospheric, rhythmic "Sit Down Stand Up" burst into energetic fury at the climax as the drums became maniacal and Yorke began repeating "The rain drops, the rain drops" as if his fingers were dug deep into his ears, hiding from something frightening.

The roaring, fuzzed out "Myxomatosis" ran into the Bends-era classic (and even more powerful) "My Iron Lung," which began in a wave of distortion and peaked with Yorke's voice echoing the information "If you're frightened/ You should be frightened."

The intricate beauty of "No Surprises," "Exit Music (For A Film),"  "Sail to the Moon," and set closer "Street Spirit (Fade)," provided an amazing contrast to the madness, not as assaulting, but no less haunting.

All of this was heightened by an excellent light job, which didn't in the least belittle the music, but made it all the more an amazing experience.

The band's encore began with Yorke crooning through "You and Whose Army?" before hopping into "Planet Telex." The band then surprised I dare say all that attended by performing a re-worked "Creep," which Yorke dedicated to the Pixies.

The show closed with unusual musical patter that broke into "Everything In Its Right Place," Yorke's vocals being recorded and manipulated live over the rhythm, which featured a steady amount of handclaps via the audience, until the song ended abruptly. It was an eerie ending to an unforgettable performance.