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As the sun prepared to rise over the Spanish capital, Francesco Puddu secured a prime position in front of the the imposing concert venue. He was among the initial Radiohead fans to appear at the location, buzzing with anticipation for the British band's comeback performance in almost a decade, starting a multi-city tour across Europe.

"I feel overwhelming joy. It's hard to believe this moment has arrived," remarked the fan, who had travelled from Italy. "Given the extended wait, even should they sing the same song again and again, I'll be content."

Time flew by as concertgoers discussed where to stand in front of the round platform, and reveled in the fact that they were among the lucky ones who had scored tickets for a tour that had sold out in a very short time.

Debate and Supporters' Views

The situation in Gaza was a subject that had come up throughout the day, given that the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel had urged on people to boycott the tour, pointing to musician Jonny Greenwood's appearance in Tel Aviv.

The topic seemingly remains delicate for the group; after reports emerged about the demonstration request, reporters were blocked from getting tickets to review the opening night. On the day of the show, the group did not answer to a request for comment regarding the decision.

In Spain, where a large number have marched in solidarity with the Palestinian cause, the artists' stance had made some supporters conflicted. "It would have been nice if they had expressed their views about it before," said Lola, in her twenties, who requested that her surname not be revealed. "As someone who admires them, I felt somewhat let down. But fortunately I think they realized their mistake."

She mentioned the event earlier in the Australian city, when the band's frontman, Thom Yorke, momentarily left the platform during a solo gig after a activist heckler yelled: "How many more dead children will it take for you to condemn the genocide in the region?"

This wasn't the appropriate approach to react, said Lola. "I didn't like the action." Ultimately, however, the songs had swayed her. "Naturally can't control what I feel when I hear the sound ... I was determined to attend and hear the tunes and lyrics that I've been listening to since I was 12 years old."

Musician's Position

Subsequently, released a statement saying the incident in Melbourne left him "surprised that my supposed silence was somehow being interpreted as agreement," calling the leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his regime as "hardliners" who "need to be stopped."

Prior to the continental shows, the artist declared that he would "certainly not" perform in Israel. "I prefer not to be 5,000 miles anywhere near the Netanyahu regime," he remarked.

Longtime Supporters Voice Their Opinions

Some defended the artists, referencing their established record of social engagement. "They have consistently supported for peace, it's unlikely they've altered now," said a dedicated fan. "In my view the individuals acquainted with them, know that they are on the just side."

The opening show was to be the half-century mark she had seen the group perform, after developing a passion when she initially witnessed them performing in the mid-nineties.

For these events she had passes for several concerts: opening night in Madrid and every single performance in her nation of Italy. "They continually transform from album to album, they avoid repeating the same thing," she said as she displayed her pair of music-related body art. "Essentially, I was once a supporter of another band but they kept doing identical actions. And after a while you become tired."

Recent Followers Embraces the Fanbase

With several fans, the fact that the band had been an extended period without appearing as a group had injected a feeling of importance into the new tour. "There might not be another opportunity, the group has aged at this point," said Luka Arreaza, 20, causing chuckles from those standing nearby with him. "Therefore it was truly valuable to come here and enjoy this time."

In the vicinity stood Sergio Zapater, who had come luggage in hand after taking a daybreak rail from Valencia.

The previous occasion the fan had seen Radiohead was over two decades past. This time, he had reached at the site over half a day before the show was due to start, sure that he would be the first in line.

Instead he realized the fact that a younger crowd – one that appeared unfazed by early hours or queues – had fallen for the group's "evolved, elaborate, soul-touching" music. "I was surprised to see numerous young people here," he said with a chuckle. "How annoying, I assumed I would be the lead attendee because mature individuals avoid these events. But at present I'm further back."

After four nights in Madrid, the group's series will proceed to Bologna, the UK capital, Copenhagen and Germany, concluding on 12 December.