antiMusic.com: REM Live Review

REM Live Review

by Zane Ewton

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Some boring old fart on the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test said the secret to REM's success was that they are, in fact, "really, really good." With over two decades in music, REM still is really, really good. This fact is on display with the band's first live DVD. Recorded at the Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland in early 2005, the show demonstrates an REM that is loose, emotive and quite powerful.

For all his supposed prickliness, Michael Stipe is quite the amiable fellow on stage. He prances, dances and sings the greasepaint right off his face. Mike Mills is the tasty cereal-flavored straw that stirs REM's milk. His backing vocals, and a turn on lead vocals, threaten to steal the show. Peter Buck blends in with the backing musicians often, but his guitar rings throughout the show, an essential element of the band's signature sound.

The band cranks out the hits and a nice collection of recent gems. Despite a relatively quiet existence for the past few years, REM still sounds excited and willing to put on a fantastic show, and that is exactly what they do.

I find it disconcerting that after the mild reaction to Around the Sun, REM followed it up with a "hits" compilation and now their first live recording. It will be interesting to see where the band heads next. If this live snapshot is any indication, there still might be some gas left in the tank for this veteran trio. Not record-sales gas. Creative gas. Which is the best gas of all.

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