INVITING Radiohead to close Reading festival was a bit of a gamble. The experimental Oxford five-piece couldn’t be further from the heavy rock bands that usually headline on Sunday night. But any qualms were quashed by a spectacular, spine-tingling set from arguably the most influential indie band of the past decade and a half.

Before Radiohead came to the stage, a theatrical finale was already anticipated thanks to an electrifying performance from the New York-based Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Lead singer Karen O, dressed in a pink zebra-stripe jumpsuit, squirmed, sweated and screamed throughout the set. Her unstoppable energy was catching, as her charisma — and multi-coloured costume changes — lit up the grey sky.

Recently, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ indie rock has become more electronic, but although this set drew on material from new album It’s Blitz!, it still included old favourites like Gold Lion and the beautiful Maps, which was slowed down for a crowd-pleasing sing-along. (Radiohead themselves gave a nod to the tune later with a brief cover version.)

Next came a cocky set from Bloc Party, a band influenced by Radiohead’s early work. Despite problems with singer Kele Okereke’s microphone, the indie band, who formed at the festival 10 years ago, were given a storming welcome home by the festival’s energetic lad element.

But nothing touched the atmosphere at Radiohead’s performance. After building up tension with a late start, they began their set with a chilling rendition of Creep, their debut 1992 single. Illuminated tubes were suspended vertically from the roof of the stage, colours blasted out onto the crowd, and the big screens were divided into grids alternating live perspectives of the band.

Radiohead last played Reading in 1994. Their music has altered dramatically since then, taking in a wide variety of influences, not least electronic. Conducted mostly at their own slow tempo, this sublime set was elegantly balanced, interspersing new material like These Are My Twisted Words, with classics like Karma Police.

It was an emotional performance, one to which Thom Yorke seemed to give every fibre. He leapt and bounded and then finally was still, smiling with closed eyes, while his beautiful, eerie voice filled the night air.