Shiny, Happy, Soggy People
May 20 '01
The Bottom Line Each r.e.m. concert is a valuable, fun and original experience. Go!
"What if we give it away?"
When I found out that r.e.m. was giving a free concert on the street in downtown Toronto.. well, I fell out of my chair. I couldn't believe a band so big (that could easily get $80/ticket) would perform for nothing. In the middle of a weekday.
But it was true. And it was going to be the only free concert in North America. Why now? Why Canada? Why free?
Well, the new album "Reveal" has just been released and there isn't an official promotional tour scheduled. But the band wanted to perform even if they couldn't get a full tour together. So they checked out performing for free in three or four cities in the US and Canada. Toronto was the only city that said yes.
And thanks to some sort of luck that I'd never had before, I just happen to live in Toronto, about 30 minutes from where they'd be performing.
Although I've seen the band a few times I really wasn't sure what to expect. New stuff or old stuff.. or how long the concert would last or how crowded it would be. And I really couldn't believe they could give us such a present.. and I kept thinking of all the people who wouldn't have been able to see r.e.m. otherwise...
One time I saw them (on the "Monster" tour) and Michael Stipe (the lead singer) seemed very cranky. He shouted at some fans in the front a few times, made some snarly remarks about people using the restrooms during slow songs, and made the famous "No, we're not a jukebox, we'll play what we want" comment. I got the feeling that the concert was a huge imposition on their time and they (or at least Stipe) did not want to be there. This is my favorite band and I want them to be happy that I'm there, ya know?
Okay, maybe not happy that I personally am there, but I'd like to know that they're enjoying the performance and that they understand the audience is paying their salary. (Not that I would demand they play certain songs, but he could've been nicer.)
But the concert in Toronto (May 17th, 2001) was a shiny, happy experience. The band seemed surprised to see the crowd in the middle of the day, thankful that the city had let them set-up, happy that no one minded the rain and enjoying giving the performance. And yes, it rained. Not a drenching sort of rain but enough that umbrellas were out, Stipe made a comment about getting electrocuted, and when he sang a few lines of "Have you ever seen the rain?" he got quite a laugh.
Michael Stipe first pulled everyone in by saying that for today, "Je Suis Canadien!" ("I am Canadian" -- which is not only a nice sentiment but a hugely popular slogan for a brand of beer).
The street was filled with approximately 20,000 people, and the 15-song, 75-minute was not simply a publicity stunt or promo performance, but a real concert. However, if you weren't very near the front or on the roof of a building along Yonge Steet, you didn't have much of a view. I got there about 10:30am (the concert was scheduled for 12:30pm) and ended up about 30 yards from the stage with a good view.
The waiting and standing was a small price to pay.
Setlist
(with corresponding albums in parenthesis)
1. Imitation Of Life (Reveal)
2. The Great Beyond (Man on the Moon Soundtrack)
3. What's The Frequency, Kenneth? (Monster)
4. All The Way To Reno (You're Gonna Be A Star)
5. I've Been High (Reveal)
6. The Lifting (Reveal)
7. I'll Take The Rain (Reveal)
8. At My Most Beautiful (Up)
9. The One I Love (Document)
10. She Just Wants To Be (Reveal)
11. Walk Unafraid (New Adventures in Hi-Fi)
12. Losing My Religion (Out of Time)
13. Man On The Moon (Automatic For the People)
-- Encores
14. So. Central Rain (Reckoning)
15. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (Document)
This seemed a fair mix of old and new, although I wish when they did play older stuff it wasn't just the "hits." And every time I see them I'd love to hear Mike Mills (bass) on lead vocal at least once.
Overall.. the music was great and Stipe was in a playful mood -- keeping the crowd laughing between songs with comments like, "I hate balloons," right before he popped one that floated up stage.
So, yes, jump at any chance to see r.e.m. But if you hear about a free concert, or a limited sort of performance or a date at the very beginning of a tour, don't miss it.
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Epinions.com ID:
prettyrain
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Location: Toronto, Ontario
Reviews written: 31
Trusted by: 27 members
About Me:
Book-loving, coffee-drinking writer, zine editor, mom and slacker loving the serendipitous life.
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