32 replies to this topic

[MAK]

Driver Nate, on 08 October 2011 - 08:28 AM, said:

No matter how you slice it, it was actually their last performance, even if was an appearance with Patti Smith.

haha well I will slice it the real way... I have in my possesion the last ticket of a R.E.M. concert in their history, (front row) and the date is November 18, 2008.

Tell, argue, yell, or discuss whatever you wante Nate but I was there on the last ever concert of the band in the history, and that is something priceless.

Is it cool if you envy that, don't feel bad.

regards

[Driver Nate]

I don't envy you at all. I'm just saying the last performance of R.E.M. appears to have been their appearance on stage with Patti Smith. Even it if wasn't a full concert, it was still R.E.M.

[elkokolores]

REMCHICAGOBOY, on 08 October 2011 - 05:59 AM, said:

Here it is:

11 March 2009 - Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
set: E-bow The Letter (w/ Patti Smith)
notes: Tribute to R.E.M. concert

So fitting they end with E-Bow. (and of course, "officially" ended with Blue from CIN)

Patti looks stunning.

Oh god, after seeing this now, I realize, they know that this is their last performance. Look at Michael. How he enjoys it with this nostalgic note. Not trying too hard. They don't change in their endgame. How he sits down, reflecting on the moment. How this rather low-fi version of E-Bow reflects every little thing that made R.E.M. so great and legendary. A fitting note. How this rather obscure, but loved first single of this troubles, but fan-loved album, towers above a 31 year career beautifully. How they nod at the one who inspired them so much at their last moment. I really hope, they never ever get together again. Perfect Circle.

Yes, R.E.M. You made it.

Thanks.

[remphish1]

Hmm..I may have been at the last REM song performance??? Well maybe the only public airling of a live song from CIN?

Tibet House Benefit

Michael Stipe
March 4, 2011
1. Saturn Returns
2. Everyday is Yours To Win

http://blogs.village...tibet_house.php

[LST 390]

did michael play alone at that tibet house show?

[Sweden]

LST 390, on 14 October 2011 - 11:22 PM, said:

did michael play alone at that tibet house show?

Yes, as in that neither Mike or Peter was there, yes.

[stipeeyes]

Now was this a sign that Michael was now going to only sing R.E.M. songs solo?  I supposed I could live with that.

[Joni Smeke]

Now, I've been out of the loop in the past years, but is this the first time Saturn Return was performed live by any chance?

[Driver Nate]

From a new Rolling Stone article called This Could Be the Last Time: Ten Final Performances from Broken-Up Bands:




R.E.M. - 3/11/09
If you want to get technical, the Bill Berry line-up of R.E.M. haven't performed together since their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills haven't done a full concert since Mexico City in November of 2008. The show ended with "Man On The Moon," and Stipe promised the crowd that it would be "our last show for a long time." The following March, an all-star line-up of artists paid tribute to R.E.M. at New York's Carnegie Hall. The band themselves came onstage to perform "E-Bow the Letter" with Patti Smith. Nobody realized it at the time, but it was R.E.M.'s final performance.

[LST 390]

Sweden, on 15 October 2011 - 03:43 AM, said:

Yes, as in that neither Mike or Peter was there, yes.

Well I meant literally alone (which I admit would be bizarre), but thank you for providing the videos so I can see he had quite the ensemble backing him. Who were these musicians??

[stipeeyes]

REMCHICAGOBOY, on 09 October 2011 - 06:55 AM, said:

Also, I've been to two release parties for R.E.M. when I lived in Pittsburgh.  One for 'Monster' and the other for 'NAIHF'. They really, really aren't that exciting, trust me. They play the new record over and over again, and raffle off some promo items concerning the new record, with some free drinks and food. Maybe it's a bit different when it actually concerns the band directly though. We'll see.

Release parties in Athens could only be fun.  I've never been to one but always wished I could. For Hi Fi the band was at that release party. If my memory serves me correct it was Michael collecting the tickets at the door.  How cool is that?  I don't think they have been to any release parties at least in Athens since.  I need to pull out the newsletter that talked about the Hi Fi release party.

The R.E.M. release parties are almost always the Tuesday the album comes out.  For the Olympia they had it at Hotel Indigo.  Maybe it will be there again.

[remphish1]

Joni Smeke, on 16 October 2011 - 06:33 PM, said:

Now, I've been out of the loop in the past years, but is this the first time Saturn Return was performed live by any chance?

I believe so!

[Tortoise]

There was a radio interview with Michael and Mike on the BBC's Front Row last week. On it Michael speaks about recording at Berlin's Hasa (?) studios and how the last song they played together as a band was Discoverer. He speaks as though it's a video recording. Intterestingly he said that no-one except the band themselves knew it was the last time they would ever play together and hoiw he wanted that to be the last ever song they would play together so he asked for them to play it again. Here's the link to the podcast-

http://www.bbc.co.uk...series/frontrow


Apologies if this has already been posted, I'm not around much these days and miss a lot!