When did REM get their shit back?

[Mobius]

Just thought REM deserved a better thread.  They were surprisingly great last night.  Really nice set, Michael Stipe sounded excellent and was at his charismatic best. Great vibes all around. Welcome back, all is forgiven . . . well, at least forgotten.

[sonickteam2]

Originally posted by Mobius:
  Just thought REM deserved a better thread.  They were surprisingly great last night.  Really nice set, Michael Stipe sounded excellent and was at his charismatic best. Great vibes all around. Welcome back, all is forgiven . . . well, at least forgotten.

I dont know, but that new REM song "Bad Day" is REALLY growing on me. just had to admit it.

[SPARX]

Did they get a drummer or are they using an annoying drum machine?

[mankie]

Originally posted by Mobius:
   Michael Stipe sounded excellent and was at his charismatic best.

When was that pretentious, obnoxious little wank ever charismatic?

[Mobius]

No drum machine, no dresses, no shit album to promote (just a few new songs, none of which were bad).  Some eye make-up, but you can't expect a total recovery.  Most importantly, no pretension, and no misguided attempt to be relevant.  The band was having fun, very loose and interactive.  
 
 Michael Stipe came out looking like an emaciated French film critic cartoon (or something) complete w/ Beret, big sunglasses . . . but he sounded excellent from note one of Finest Worksong, and strangely I thought his dancing was pretty cool, and strangely, he made sense.  By an hour into it he'd stripped down to a generic polo shirt and jeans.  Yes there was the eye make-up (I think), but he was pretty firmly back on planet earth.  
 
 Bottom line is they played many top songs off most of their albums (I don't think they played anything from Murmur), played them well, Stipe really sounded great, and it was fun and without pretension.
 
 I was wondering what Stipe was like in '82.  I would imagine he was more subdued, like eyes closed singing at the microphone.

[markie]

Originally posted by mankie:
   

Originally posted by Mobius:
   Michael Stipe sounded excellent and was at his charismatic best.

When was that pretentious, obnoxious little wank ever charismatic? [/b]

whats the frequency Kenneth video, is a place to start.

[G.Love]

Next time you hear that song about "Don't take my picture" or something like that, just replace the word with "It's the end of the world as we know it"!!
 I swear it sounds like they have run out of material and they are reusing their old songs.

[sonickteam2]

Originally posted by G.Love:
  Next time you hear that song about "Don't take my picture" or something like that, just replace the word with "It's the end of the world as we know it"!!
 I swear it sounds like they have run out of material and they are reusing their old songs.

right!! the song is growing on me now, and i thought when i heard it, that it sounded like that.  I dont know, I am sure i wont like it next month, but for now, its on my playlist  

[scumpond]

I was wondering what Stipe was like in '82.  I would imagine he was more subdued, like eyes closed singing at the microphone. [/QB][/QUOTE]
 
 I didn't see them in '82, but in '83 Stipe was longhaired and sang with his back to the crowd a lot.

[mkpage]

Does anyone know the name of the 2nd to last song they played?  Michael said they performed it at the 9:30 Club in 1982.  I've never heard it before.
 
 Overall I thought it was a good show, but found it odd they didn't touch Murmur or Monster.
 
 BTW, isn't Bad Day an outake from the Document sessions, which might explain the similarities to End of the World.

[SPARX]

Originally posted by mkpage:
  Does anyone know the name of the 2nd to last song they played?  Michael said they performed it at the 9:30 Club in 1982.  I've never heard it before.
 
 

They have their current tour setlist up on their website.Don't know if that will help you or not.

[eros]

Originally posted by mkpage:
  Does anyone know the name of the 2nd to last song they played?  Michael said they performed it at the 9:30 Club in 1982.  I've never heard it before.
 

Permanent Vacation

[Lucky Death]

Originally posted by mkpage:
 [QB] Does anyone know the name of the 2nd to last song they played?  Michael said they performed it at the 9:30 Club in 1982.  I've never heard it before.
 
 That was called "Permanent Vacation".  To the best of my knowledge it's never been formally recorded.  That's probably because it's a sub-two minute biscuit of pure fluff and they know it.  It's a fun song, though and noteworthy because it's one of the first they ever wrote.

[broadkat]

Originally posted by scumpond:
 
 I didn't see them in '82, but in '83 Stipe was longhaired and sang with his back to the crowd a lot. [/QB]

i knew that Chan Marshall was a filcher! that bitch!

[Bags]

Originally posted by Mobius:
  I was wondering what Stipe was like in '82.  I would imagine he was more subdued, like eyes closed singing at the microphone.

I saw him in 83 and 84.  At that time, he had this (gorgeous) curly hair he hid behind.  He sang, clenching the mike tightly right up to his face, sang with his eyes clothes and face covered by his locks.  He was very introverted, and just occasionally would 'lash' out and throw out his arms.
 
 Peter Buck (or as I like to refer to him, my fantasy rock n' roll husband) was always an energetic ball of fun.