Radiohead announce 2025 European tour amid pro-Palestine boycott
Radiohead reveal 2025 European tour dates as pro-Palestine campaigners call for boycott.
Radiohead announce first tour in seven years amid pro-Palestine boycott
London, 3 September 2025 – British rock titans Radiohead have confirmed their first live dates since 2018, unveiling a 20-show European residency this winter. The announcement comes amid calls from pro-Palestinian campaigners to boycott the trek, driven by guitarist Jonny Greenwood’s recent performances in Tel Aviv and the band’s perceived silence on the Gaza conflict.
A long-awaited return to the stage
After a seven-year hiatus, Radiohead will perform four-night residencies in five major cities:
- Madrid’s Movistar Arena: 4–8 November
- Bologna’s Unipol Arena: 14–18 November
- London’s O2 Arena: 21–25 November
- Copenhagen’s Royal Arena: 1–5 December
- Berlin’s Uber Arena: 8–12 December
Fans must pre-register on Radiohead’s official website to participate in the ticket ballot. Allocation will be weighted by proximity to venues, in a bid to curb bots and touts, and to give local fans priority AP News. Tickets cost £85 plus fees in the UK and €90 in Europe, each carrying a £1 or €1 donation to grassroots music charities, with the band matching the total raised The Guardian.
“This felt really good after all this time,” drummer Philip Selway said in a message to fans. “Last year we rehearsed ‘just for the hell of it’, and it reignited our passion for playing together” The Independent.
A new model for fair ticketing
Radiohead’s registration-only system marks one of the most robust anti-scalping efforts in recent memory. By limiting ballots by geographic demand and capping four tickets per application, the band aims to ensure genuine fans gain access. This approach follows the models deployed by Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, reflecting a wider industry trend toward more equitable ticket distribution.
Key features:
- Pre-registration window: 5–7 September
- Maximum of four tickets per registration
- Priority given to local applicants
- £1/€1 charitable levy per ticket
The UK levy will support the Live Trust initiative, raising funds for struggling grassroots venues, while the European levy goes to Médecins Sans Frontières, with Radiohead matching donations Pitchfork.
Pro-Palestinian campaigners call for boycott
Within hours of the announcement, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and the global BDS movement urged fans to shun the tour. They cited Greenwood’s collaborations with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa and the band’s lack of an explicit statement on Gaza as justification.
“Radiohead continues with its complicit silence while one member repeatedly crosses our picket line,” PACBI declared, accusing the group of “artwashing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza” Euronews.
Their statement highlights:
- Greenwood’s Tel Aviv performances in May 2024
- Allegations of tacit endorsement of Israeli policies
- A call for the band to “convincingly distance” themselves from these actions The Guardian.
Radiohead’s stance and public reaction
To date, Radiohead have not issued a formal response to the boycott call. In 2017, Thom Yorke defended a Tel Aviv show, stating “Playing in a country isn’t the same as endorsing its government. Music is about crossing borders, not building them” BBC Music.
Fans on social media remain divided:
- Some applaud the band for fostering open dialogue and supporting grassroots music.
- Others plan to honour PACBI’s call, vowing to abstain in protest of the band’s perceived indifference.
Independent ticket-sale platforms report a 35% spike in registration traffic within two hours of the announcement, underscoring continued fan enthusiasm despite controversy.
Beyond the tour: Radiohead’s creative journey
Radiohead’s hiatus has been fertile ground for solo and side projects:
- Thom Yorke formed The Smile and composed film scores for Suspiria and Confidenza.
- Jonny Greenwood accrued accolades for his work on The Power of the Dog and Licorice Pizza.
- Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway released critically acclaimed solo albums.
Last month, the band digitally issued Hail to the Thief – Live Recordings 2003–2009, fueling speculation of new studio work Pitchfork.
The 2025 tour will be their longest gap between live engagements – a seven-year stretch that eclipses the four-year break between 2008 and 2012.
What’s at stake for the live music industry
Radiohead’s tour will serve as a bellwether for several ongoing trends:
- The effectiveness of registration-only ticketing in curbing scalping and fostering fairness.
- The power of social movements to influence artist decisions and fan behaviour.
- The role of charity levies in galvanising industry support for grassroots infrastructure.
As artists increasingly navigate political scrutiny, Radiohead’s European residencies could redefine how major acts balance activism, artistry, and audience access.
Conclusion
Radiohead’s 2025 tour marks a landmark return, blending pioneering ticketing measures with philanthropic ambitions. Yet the boycott calls underscore the complex interplay between culture and politics in today’s live-music landscape. Whether fans flock to arenas or heed PACBI’s appeal, the tour promises to be one of the most talked-about concert series of the year, setting the tone for the industry’s evolving approach to fairness, charity, and artistic responsibility.