Thom Yorke Brings Peace to Boston

It was an incredible sight: Thom Yorke getting down with Flea -- the evasive Radiohead frontman jamming with the effusive Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist. Art rock meets funk rock, indeed.

The third date on Atoms for Peace's debut tour was a sold-out show at Boston's Citi Wang Theatre, Thursday night. The trek, an adjunct to last year's shows in Los Angeles, finally translates Yorke's 2006 solo album, 'The Eraser,' from ethereal bedroom electronica into a live rock entity, and a full-bodied febrile one at that. What's lost in the process -- the record's lovely sense of detachment -- was found in often beautiful, dance-laced passages and a display of wonderful musicianship courtesy of this crack team, which also included drummer Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M.), percussionist Mauro Refosco and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, who stoically handled a backdrop of keyboards, synths and occasional guitar.

Tubes of light formed a jagged, stormy sky above the band as they romped through 'The Eraser' track by track, making it both warmer, yet harder. Swooshing synth and hard bass drove a raw, feral 'Harrowdown Hill,' a set highlight that ended in a bold flurry of notes and percussion. Yorke switched from hunching over a piano to stabbing at a guitar to shedding instruments and stiff upper lip to dance fluidly around the stage. Flea, well, he'll always bring the funk to the table, but he added so much more, dripping harmonic blips and bleeps, and, at one point, lovely incandescent notes, just like a lead guitar.

After the briefest of interludes, Yorke returned alone to perform new tune 'Present Tense,' which felt honest, handsome and led to a voluptuous version of Radiohead's 'Like Spinning Plates.' Chatting, he gave Barack Obama a shout-out, saying that he was struggling in a system that was "totally fucked up" by lobbyists and corporate interests. "I'm going to get into loads of trouble for saying that. Fuck it, who cares?" he said of his politicking.

Another new song, the tabloid basher 'The Daily Mail,' saw the whole band returned; while 'Hail to the Thief' B-side 'Paperbag Writer' added another obscure Radiohead number. Yorke's 2009 single, 'Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses' ended with a wholly unworthy gratuitous meandering funk jazzy jam. Thankfully, a stunning, spasmodic 'The Hollow Earth' preceded it more memorably.

Atoms for Peace end their eight-date tour at the Coachella festival in Indio, Calif., Apr. 18.