r.e.m.

My first r.e.m. memories date back to listening the "Document" on a cassette tape in 1987. I followed the coming releases and dug into the back IRS catalog. I'd liked them up until their masterpiece "Automatic for the People" in 1992, then my interest waned. They just kept releasing more and more derivative and uninspired shit. The drummer bailed after an anurysm on stage during the middle of a world tour... and r.e.m. should've ended there.

so with a founding member gone and michael stipe quickly evolving into the artist formally known as michael stipe, r.e.m. released "Up" a shitty record with 4 good songs, "Reveal" an electronic turd with no good songs, and the most recent release "Around the Sun", a boring record with one lead off single that's good and a slow downward spiral that promotes anurysms.

Until November 27th 2004 I'd never seen r.e.m. live. I caught them at the Filmore Theater in Denver, CO... an excellent small venue of 4,000 (let me add that it's smoke-free, and that really made a difference to the venue experience... venues should go smoke-free).

michael stipe is one sleek cat. he came out on stage wearing a black suit and tie with a green stripe painted across his eyes. he looked like one of the Crazy 88's in Kill Bill. this guy is a front man to reckon with, and at age 44, he's a force of nature. Thom Yourke, Eddie Vedder, Beck and that fucker from Live all owe a debt of graditude to michael stipe for showing them how it's done. his little choreographed dances chanelled both David Burne and Michael Jackson. fucking insane.

r.e.m. has always been a politicially active band... in their lyrics and their endorsements. stipe threw out some subtle politic-speak over the night, and unless you're not paying attention, the set list took it's jabs (note: the messages in 18 year old songs still ring true). Consider "Begin the Begin" "Orange Crush" "The Final Straw" "Drive"

the most obvious came mid-way through the show. stipe approached the right hand side of the crowd and said:

"it's cold. I'd like everyone on this side of the hall to breathe as hard as the can. warm this place up."

he walked to the left hand side of the stage and said:

"I'd like everyone on this side to stop breathing all together.:

then he walked to the middle and said:

"All of you in the middle... well, you only seem to see black and white, so I'm going to let you figure it out for yourselves."

I don't think that many of the 40 year olds in this red state was paying attention... I think they were waiting to hear "Losing My Religion".

setlist:

Get Up
Begin the Begin
Orange Crush
The One I Love
High Speed Train
The Outsiders
Boy in the Well
The Final Straw
Leaving New York
Walk Unafraid
Life and How to Live It
So Fast So Numb
Imitation of Life
Losing My Religion
Country Feedback
Strange Currencies
Drive
Animal
The Great Beyond
What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
Permanent Vacation
I'm Gonna DJ
Man on the Moon

michael stipe is the shit.