Radiohead Speak Out About Unresolved Death at First Toronto Show Since Stage Collapse

By Rob Arcand

Tonight, Radiohead played their first show in Toronto since the 2012 stage collapse that resulted in the death of drum technician Scott Johnson as well as 13 charges of negligence. During their set, frontman Thom Yorke said a few words before holding a brief moment of silence for the tragedy.

“We wanted to do a show in Toronto, the stage collapsed, killing one of our colleagues and friends,” Yorke said to the audience. “The people who should be held accountable are still not being held accountable in your city. The silence is fucking deafening.”

Last year, an Ontario court granted a stay on the case, even as British politicians urged the Canadian government to pursue further action. Before their set last night, the band’s drummer Philip Selway discussed the event on BBC’s Newsnight, where he voiced his frustration with the halted case. “The court case broke down on a technicality,” he said. “So there have been no real answers. Without the answers we can’t ensure that an accident like this can’t happen again.”

Watch a clip of tonight’s remembrance below via Consequence of Sound.

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