Ok, so here we go. My first R.E.M. show, late summer 1985. Following the release of 'Fables' in June of that year, they played this show during the first leg of the tour in support of that album. The opening act was 'The Three O'Clock', and utterly forgettable L.A. quintet that played a mix of insipid, jangly psychedelic pop.
I had been anticipating seeing R.E.M. since having first seen them on Letterman a few years earlier. They did not disappoint live. Cloaked mostly in shadow, the band was incredible. Stipe was his typical reticent self, draped over the microphone stand, mumbling through lyrics in his lazy, southern drawl. I was astounded and moved. A real serious show of a real serious band turned me into a real serious fan.
I remember at the time I had been expelled from high school and was pumping gas to make ends meet. Somehow I found the $33.00 for a couple of tickets. In attendance with me that night was 'Jon M.' He was another stoner/outsider who was just as aimless and as broke as I was, so I gave him my extra ticket. He did however help influence and shape my musical tastes, so I guess I owed him something.
Last I heard he was in jail.
Setlist
1. Feeling Gravity's Pull
2. Harborcoat
3. Green Grow The Rushes
4. Skip A Rope
5. Hyena
6. Maps And Legends
7. Fall On Me
8. Driver 8
9. So. Central Rain (I'M Sorry)
10. Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
11. Pills
12. Can't Get There From Here
13. Seven Chinese Bros
14.Auctioneer (Another Engine)
15.Old Man Kensey
16.Little America
17.Pretty Persuasion
18.Life And How To Live It
Encore 1
1.Second Guessing
2. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville
3.Behind Closed Doors
4.See No Evil
Encore 2
1. Theme From Two Steps Onward
2. Sitting Still
3. Time After Time (Annelise)
4. Carnival Of Sorts (Boxcars)
5. Moon River
6. Windout
Were you at this show? Let it show,
get a custom 'stub' shirt here
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