R.E.M play old favorites, get political

R.E.M. threw the audience at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre last night a number of curveballs during the set, including the opening song. The band opened with "Harborcoat" from their second album Reckoning.

The set included many older/unexpected songs including "1,000,000," "Find the River," "7 Chinese Bros" among many others. The band announced early in the set that they were going to play a lot of older material in honor of their close ties with the Raleigh area early in their career.

R.E.M. did play a number of songs from their latest album Accelerate (which we dig). "Living Well Is the Best Revenge," "Man-Sized Wreath" and "Houston" made their way into the set. Stipe explained that "Houston" was written about the president/federal government's shameful response to Hurricane Katrina.

That certainly wasn't the only political rhetoric during the show. Towards the end of the set, Stipe said that he was proud to be from the south when North Carolina voted for Barack Obama. Most of the crowd cheered while a small portion were more than a little angry — like the guy next to us who said "fucking Democrats."

While politics came up a few times, the night was really about the music. Michael Stipe's energy level throughout the show was amazing, especially considering he was wearing a suit throughout the entire performance in 90 degree weather. "Welcome to the R.E.M. Weight Loss Plan, 2008," Stipe told the crowd. He bounded around the stage, danced, interacted with the cameras and just looked really happy to be on stage. Mike Mills and Peter Buck both seemed to really connect with the crowd as well. There was an energy on stage that you wouldn't expect from a band that's been together for over 27 years.

During the six song encore the band spanned their entire career, opening with the first single from Accelerate "Supernatural Superserious" before launching into their chart topping 1991 hit "Losing My Religion." Next the band played "Pretty Persusasion" (one of my personal favorites of the night) from Reckoning and then invited Johnny Marr (of The Smiths and Modest Mouse) to play with them on "Fall On Me" from their 1986 album Life's Rich Pageant.

The special guests didn't end there though. The band brought out local music legends and former R.E.M. producers Mitch Easter and Don Dixon to play on the classic song "Sitting Still" from R.E.M.'s debut album Murmur. Easter and Dixon produced and engineered the band's first two albums which were recorded at Reflection Sound in Charlotte. It was a memorable moment seeing all of these guys together on stage (but not quite as cool as Bill Berry showing up 2003. I'm sorry I missed that one).

The band closed with "Man On the Moon," a big hit yet not the best closer. It was entertaining to watch Michael Stipe do his Elvis impersonation over and over each time Elvis is mentioned in the song.

In the end, I left the venue blown away by R.E.M.'s performance. They are truly one of the great bands to emerge from the south.

[photo by Amanda Parrish]

Here's the complete setlist from the show:
Harborcoat
Living Well Is the Best Revenge
Bad Day
What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
1,000,000
Man-Sized Wreath
Welcome To The Occupation
Accelerate
7 Chinese Bros.
Hollow Man
Imitation Of Life
Houston
Electrolite
Walk Unafraid
The One I Love
Final Straw
Find The River
Let Me In
Horse to Water
Auctioneer
Orange Crush
I'm Gonna DJ
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Supernatural Superserious
Losing My Religion
Pretty Persuasion
Fall On Me (w/ Johnny Marr)
Sitting Still (w/ Mitch Easter & Don Dixon)
Man On The Moon

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