DUBLIN 4--WORKSONGS AND OLIVE BRANCHES...
R.E.M maintained the momentum and pace of Tuesday night's juggernaut performance with another strong showing at the Olympia in Dublin Wednesday. Alongside new numbers like "Mr. Richards," "Accelerate," and "Until The Day Is Done" --(all working titles)--the band continued to introduce songs from the deepest niche of the back catalog--from Chronic Town, Murmur, and Reckoning. Many of the newest songs are still being fine tuned during sound check as well as the show--the band even asked the audience at one point if they would object to them redoing a verse and chorus from a new song which they hadn't done to their own liking. After some discussion amongst themselves, the guys nailed it the second time through.
In terms of the "olive branches", "West of the Fields" was the biggest surprise, perhaps. In his introduction to the song, Michael told the audience of a trip he took during the early 80s in which he rode the Southern Crescent train to New Orleans and got inspiration for the song from The Elysian Fields neighborhood. R.E.M. also played a rare track from Monster, "Circus Envy," which was a definite highlight among the many highlights of the so-called olive branches extended this evening in addition to "harborcoat" from Reckoning.
The new songs continue to gel and the band has gotten tighter as the week has progressed with tonight proving no exception.
Tomorrow night's finale should prove to be a great finish to an incredible 5-night stand in one of the greatest cities known to man.
Finally, thanks for the fantastic support from Viarosa and Robyn Hitchcock!
Hey dbell,
Like your review, i agree with pretty much all your comments.
Only i thought Viarosa were pretty bad, Robyn Hitchcock was good though.
Where are you from? Glad you like Dublin
hi david, agree with you and your review - THEY'RE SOO HOT RIGHT NOW ! ;) ...have some cool pics + vidz too ! roll on the final day .... hmmm .. going to bed now is a good idea ! Nite, all. R.
Firstly let me just say the show tonite rocked. The lads are really tidying up the new ones and the choice of classics tonight were brill. For me 1,000,000 and harborcoat - deadly.
Anyway, i was offered 2 spare tickets tonite for the last "not a show" gig. One unreserved upper circle and one standing.I already have my own but the only problem is i can't offer them at face value - they're going to cost me €80 each so they will cost whoever wants them the same.
If anyone can't get to the box office tomorrow for tickets and wants them, let me know asap and I'll meet you at the venue with them.
Email me at: lotoole@schlotter.ie
Larry.
I'll take the standing one... I've sent you an email...
Ben
Ben,
The email address is in work. I'll confirm that the tickets are still there tomorrow morning and email you back.
they say they haven't got an album title yet...surely it should be something like "Olympia" or "Olympia : This is not a show" .... for it not being show, it was pretty awesome!
I didnt attend any of the shows. But this must be the REM setlist of my dreams !! And I cant believe they played circus envy ! its such a cool song !
From what I've seen on youtube clips of these shows, it sounds like they may be in the "new adventures"-mood again.. which is AMAZING! Hoping for some rock on the new album !
They also played a great version of "These Days".
Very enjoyable gig, but do you think Michael was actually writing and typing stuff in the middle of songs or was that just for effect?
I loved the little stories about his early songwriting - "Wow, there's a lot of death in this one too"
Superb gig. Peter really rocked last night. Great to hear songs like Wolves Lower and west of fields live and still sounding so fresh. New sounds sounded really good, hoping they don't over produce album in the studio. Credit has to go to the drummer as well who was outstanding.
Superb gig. Peter really rocked last night. Great to hear songs like Wolves Lower and west of fields live and still sounding so fresh. New sounds sounded really good, hoping they don't over produce album in the studio. Credit has to go to the drummer as well who was outstanding.
I have to say that this (not a) show really took off after about 30 minutes and was absolutely brilliant. Aside from the music, the highlights included (1) the ending being replayed for one of the new songs after a heated discussion, (2) this is not a show being flashed up on screen for a nano second when Michael Stipe caused 2 false starts to a song - and he caught them doing this, and (3) him getting very, very embarrased and red when he told the BJ story before being reminded family were in the audience. Great to see the human side.
I can't believe they played Harborcoat, I love that song! I hoped for that to be played on the last tour and it didn't happen, I hope it won't be it's 1st and last appearance!
The shows seem to be getting better and better, I wish I could have made all 5!
I was still on a high from the night before, my first ever REM show, and didn't think I could get any higher. Then they played Harborcoat. A dream come true. Another fantastic (not a)show. The re-play of one song so they could get the end right, Michaels tale of a mouthful of snow...many happy memories. Thank you once again.
For me, this session was perfect! All the old songs I had never heard live before with the very excellent new stuff! I'm very happy about the new material because they bring the guitars back!