The first time I saw R.E.M. was back on Labor Day in 1999 at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. It was a decidedly mixed affair, with crowd-pleasers like “Fall on Me” and Automatic for the People’s closing track “Find the River” (both of which they would return to during this concert) mixing with material from their then most recent album Up. It wasn’t a bad show, but it felt too small and intimate for the ampitheatre they were playing, with Up being a more muted and reflective album than some of their more arena-ready work of the prior decade. Longtime drummer BILL BERRY had quit the band a few years before and this was their first tour without him. Looking back on it almost a decade later, they were still clearly struggling to find their footing.
It was an altogether different story four years later at Madison Square Garden. They pleasantly surprised me and many others in attendance by putting on an absolutely stunning show that showed them willing, once again, to reclaim their vitality as a top draw live band and a powerhouse. It’s hard for me to remember much of the material they played that night (or the first time I saw them, too, for that matter, since that was even longer ago), but I distinctly remember an incredible version of Out of Time’s “Country Feedback” that must have been about ten minutes long and more in thrall to THE VELVET UNDERGROUND’s “Sister Ray” than the studio version ever hinted at. I also remember them dedicating “Drive” to comedian and author AL FRANKEN, but most of all, there was an insanely great encore of “Life and How to Live It” from 1985’s Fables of the Reconstruction. It was the kind of live concert moment that was genuinely exciting since it was both rousing and unexpected. So what was the difference? I’m not really sure, but I have my theories. The first is drummer BILL RIEFLIN, who replaced JOEY WARONKER (who also drummed for BECK and many others). The fact that he used to play with MINISTRY means that he’s a heavy hitter and though the dichotomy between Ministry and R.E.M. seems odd, he’s a perfect fit! Thankfully he was back in the fold this time around, too. The other factor may be the band’s anger towards the policies of the Bush administration. It seems that with their new record Accelerate, they’ve reconnected with the political angst that fueled such mid to late ‘80s classics like Life’s Rich Pageant’s “Cuyahoga” (which they’ve been playing on this tour) or Document’s “Welcome to the Occupation” (ditto). After 2004’s poorly-received, mellow and reflective Around the Sun, they’ve come out with a record that seems to have re-energized them in the studio as much as the live shows of the last few years have done so on stage.
Thankfully they were able to translate the energy of Accelerate onto the stage. Opening with “These Days” (from Life’s Rich Pageant), there was nary a dull moment in their two-hour set. Admittedly, though, the first half of the main set was a bit more thrilling. This is where they dipped into songs ranging from “Wolves, Lower” (from 1982’s Chronic Town EP) to “Turn You Inside Out” from 1988’s Green. Of course, a lot of material from Accelerate was covered as well, with the highlights being a rousing “Living Well is the Best Revenge” and new single “Hollow Man”. They saved the absolute best from this album for later in the set, though, playing “Supernatural Superserious” and album closer “I’m Gonna DJ” towards the end. During the second half of their main set, they also showcased lesser appreciated material like the minor hits “The Great Beyond” (from the soundtrack to the film Man on the Moon) and “Imitation of Life”, not to mention the aforementioned “Find the River” and “Electrolite” (from 1996’s New Adventures in Hi-Fi). All the while, singer MICHAEL STIPE seemed in a particularly great mood, talking about how hopeful he was about this year’s election and how he thought that this was a great time to be an American. This is a sharp contrast from many of the downbeat political lyrics on the album, particularly the poignant “Houston” (according to Stipe, bout the federal government’s pathetic response to Hurricane Katrina). Nevertheless, it was just a treat to see him up there so animated and lively. Clearly he was having a good time. After the relative obscurities of the second half of the main set, the band treated the audience with the hits. “Man on the Moon,” “Orange Crush,” “The One I Love” and “Losing My Religion” were played in quick succession.
The real highlight came a moment later, though, when EDDIE VEDDER came out to sing “Begin the Begin”, the opening track on Life’s Rich Pageant. I’m not a big PEARL JAM fan, but he was great! Clearly he was enjoying himself, too. After that, they brought out JOHNNY MARR (who’s in openers MODEST MOUSE now) to play guitar on “Fall on Me”. This was a nice touch, though honestly more subdued than Vedder’s appearance.
Openers Modest Mouse delivered an enjoyable set heavy on selections from the last few albums, 2004’s breakthrough platinum hit Good News for People Who Love Bad News and last year’s We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.
THE NATIONAL started off the night promptly at 7 PM as people were still filling up the ampitheater. Honestly I thought they were better than Modest Mouse. They’ve improved considerably as a live band after last year’s set opening for THE ARCADE FIRE, as a year of touring for last year’s Boxer is under their belt now. They still remind me a lot of mid ‘80s ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN, but not in a way that I think they’re mere imitators. One gets the sense that in a few years they could very well be the headliners at a place as big as the Mann. I need to see them in a smaller venue of these days, though!
The above photo was taken by BRYAN HANTMAN and is used with permission. It illustrates our view from the very front of the lawn! You can see more of his photos here.
