R.E.M. in Berkeley

[create_destiny]

The Mister and I saw R.E.M. last night at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley. The National and Modest Mouse opened. I was fairly pleased with our seats as they were closer to the stage than I had imagined. R.E.M. played for 2 hours. They didn't play my dream set list. I did however, manage to remain conscious for the entire show, unlike the last time I saw them in 1987 when I "slept" through the whole show.





Here's the only half-way decent photo I managed to take during the show. They were performing "Orange Crush" and Michael was singing into a bullhorn as he always does when they play this song. Mike Mills unfortunately didn't make it in the frame. He was too far to the left and of course I was trying to avoid having my camera confiscated or whatever it is they do to camera sneaker-in-ers who get caught. Peter Buck is in the middle. Scott McCaughey is to his right on guitar and Bill Rieflin is on drums.




Nothing fills me with a wistful sense of nostalgia like R.E.M.'s I.R.S. years. It psychologically pains me actually. Many of their early songs are almost sacred to me. Other songs and entire albums embarrass me. One of my favorite memories is staying up all night listening to R.E.M. in my friend Dave's kitchen, drinking Bushmill's and playing a board game called "Rail Baron." Dave saved my rock and roll life. I was pretty much listening to top 40 radio when I met him and he introduced me to a lot of great music besides R.E.M. ---Sonic Youth, Camper Van Beethoven, The Replacements and Jane's Addiction just to name a few. I don't even know who I would be if I hadn't hung out with him in my formative years. So of course I called him last night from the show, when they played "West of Fields" and just let the music play into his machine.



R.E.M.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
UC Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA:


- Horse to Water
- Little America*
- What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?
- Ignoreland
- Accelerate
- Man-Sized Wreath
- Imitation of Life
- West of the Fields*
- Hollow Man
- Wolves, Lower*
- Walk Unafraid*
- Houston
- Electrolite

- The One I Love
- Final Straw*
- Find the River
- Let Me In
- Losing My Religion
- Living Well’s the Best Revenge
- Bad Day
- Orange Crush*
- I’m Gonna DJ*

Encore:

- Supernatural Superserious
- Mr. Richards
- Driver 8*
- Life and How to Live It*
- Man on the Moon

*Indicates songs that would have been included on my dream set list.





Modest Mouse
Saturday, May 31, 2008
UC Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA

- Black Cadallic
- Satin in a Coffin
- Dance Hall
- ???????
- The View
- Fire It Up
- Trailer Trash
- Truckers Atlas
- Wild Pack of Family Dogs
- Dashboard
- Spitting Venom

Comments

[st-ranger.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen Modest Mouse in forever! WTB them swinging through Eureka again.

TMI

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

I'm comparing posts from you and the husband on this one....

My commentary:

*You totally sullied those other bands by throwing Jane's Addiction in with them...that's like talking about your favorite 60s acts and mentioning the Dave Clark 5.

*I don't know if you are a native of California...and I don't know if you're white or not...but if you are the first and you aren't the second, believe me that you wanted no part of Athens in the 80s...while they have sustained 2 decent music scenes (the 80s, and again in the 90s with the Elephant 6 bands), it's still a redneck Mecca...this is a town that had Athens Music Days or some shit when I was in college...and the headliner was Widespread Panic.

*Really, not having Losing My Religion on your dream set totally taints your fan girl status...as stated in the other post, as a (mostly) Georgian, I feel my opinion matters more on these things. In general, though, I think I would have been a bit let down with the list...if Rockville and Fall on Me don't make the cut, what's the point?

* That's kind of a strange Modest Mouse list...of course they'd play Dashboard, since it still gets college radio play...but it's like they forgot they had albums before 2000...

* The National doesn't merit a set list? Their last album is better than Modest Mouse's last 2...and any REM album since...hell..the 80s? (Actually, I really like New Adventures in Hi-Fi & Automatic for the People).

Re: TMI

[ygolonac.livejournal.com]

Hey, I like some Jane's Addiction. They got a couple of fun songs.

She's a native of the mid-west. Born in Missouri (which explains her temperament at times) but raised in exotic and mysterious Indiana.

Re: TMI

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

At first I just saw the picture and thought you were calling her a jackass....

I like a handful of Jane's Addiction songs...but I also like a handful of Journey songs....(and Journey has never done a commercial for ESPN football with Kelly Rowland and 50 Cent...)

Re: TMI

[createdestiny.livejournal.com]

Did you just mention Journey on my lj?

You just lost ALL your Atlanta street cred.

Re: TMI

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

You opened the door when you mentioned that bleach blond, shiny pants wearing guy who does duets with 50 cent now! Not to mention theme songs for HBO comedies about Marky Mark....

Re: TMI

[createdestiny.livejournal.com]

Husband?!?! I don't see no rings on these fingers!

Jane's Addiction is so much cooler than the crap I was listening to in the 80's----Ready for the World?!?!? Are you kidding me!?!?

Yeah, you're probably right about life in Athens in the 80's. I'm romanticizing it for sure. But The Indigo Girls and the b-52's are from there, so there's a chance I could have seen them and that would have been great.

I can hear "Losing my Religion" on any typical top 40 or "alt"radio station and I'm actually sick of it (even though it's a great song). I remember you saying once that Automatic was your favorite R.E.M. album and that would be like my 8th favorite. Every album that came before that was so much better and every album that came after it mostly sucked with an exception for a handful of songs off of Monster, New Adventures, Up and their new album (which you should give more of a chance because it's actually pretty good).

I like The National, but I only recently started listening to their stuff and I don't know the names of any of their songs. They played a great set and seemed super thankful to be opening (unlike Mod Mouse who never said a word except for a mumbled 'thank you' at the end of their set.

Re: TMI

[superhappytime.livejournal.com]

Hmm...I'm debating over whether I should just laugh that you mentioned the Indigo Girls...but either way, they're an Atlanta band instead of Athens...I don't know if the bar they used to play is still around...at one time it was the largest lesbian bar in the world.....

8th favorite? C'mon...it's without a doubt the best of their sell-out albums...Green and Out of Time are mostly blah...

I think Modest Mouse is always like that...I've never seen them live, but the televised shows are pretty low key...like 10 years ago I think he was more excitable...back in his bare-knuckle boxing days....

[somethinghead.livejournal.com]

I'm seeing Modest Mouse (as a headlining act) two weeks from tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it, they were amazing when I saw them over the summer.

Also, yay for Truckers Atlas - one of my favorites and certainly on my dream set list for them. What'd you think of "Spitting Venom"? That song was the highlight of the show I saw.

[createdestiny.livejournal.com]

Truckers Atlas and Spitting Venom are both great songs. I don't know if they were the highlight for me. I wish I could see their set again. It seemed really short.

Have a great time at the MM show! I hope you'll post all about it.

[ygolonac.livejournal.com]

Jeez, you don't even mention the highlight of the day, the squirrel and my amazing power over it.

[createdestiny.livejournal.com]

Stay tuned. And thanks for the best birthday present ever!

[mr-ed1966.livejournal.com]

I've been hearing some really good buzz about the "re-energized" live performances R.E.M. have been putting on lately, and as usual their choice in opening acts is impeccable. Glad y'all got to enjoy the show.

Due to the lovely state of our economy, I'll be passing on this tour go'round. And being as I'm just south of Atlanta and have an opportunity to attend a "homecoming" show, that's saying a lot (about the economy, not the band). But then, I'm fortunate to have been able to see them on their tours supporting each of their albums from Murmur through Green. So there's a lot of good memories there.

[createdestiny.livejournal.com]

Damn. You are soooooo lucky. I am burning with jealousy! Thanks, btw for hipping us to The National.

[ellaperu.livejournal.com]

I would have loved to have seen 'Perfect Circle' on that set-list. Most definitely.

[cwmackowski.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great time. I saw REM twice on their last tour and they played the same set list both times, which disappointed me a little. It was the same setlist they ended up releasing as their live album last year. It was okay but not spectacular.

They still remain a great rock and roll band, though.

[createdestiny.livejournal.com]

Oh what a bummer! You know, I think they still could be spectacular live but I think they're tired after all these years of playing the same songs. I guess I would be, too.

[acommonreader.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful fucking line-up. I would have been most excited about The National, truth be told. I am in love with them these days.

[createdestiny.livejournal.com]

I'm listening to them now and they are starting to grow on me. They played a heck of a set.

[anodyne19148.livejournal.com]

I'm going to see R.E.M. on June 19. I haven't missed an R.E.M. tour since 1986. I'm glad to see they're doing some older stuff--Little America, West of the Fields, Wolves, Lower. As long as they do Driver8, I'll be happy. That's probably my favorite song of all time.

[createdestiny.livejournal.com]

Damn, girl, You are sooooooooooo lucky. *sigh*

oh yeah, and another thing

[joeyouknow.livejournal.com]

Old R.E.M. is the best R.E.M. I STILL find myself defending my love of their (mostly older) music. I'm glad to hear the new album is enjoyable. And I'm very glad that you received such a great birthday gift-concert!