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).

[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.

[ygolonac.livejournal.com]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

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!