Event Reviews

Michael Stipe on the big screen.

REM @ The City Ground 6/7/2005

Rain driven in from the Trent soaked the playing surface. So much so that Michael Stipe was forced to change his footwear for fear of falling over… first to running shoes, then to no shoes.

Towels littered the stage by the end and the blue mask on Stipe’s face was starting to run. But the rain didn’t matter. It was a good night. Two hours of REM. At thirty quid better value than football too considering Idlewild and The Zutons were thrown in too.

It was like the days of the terraces too. Standing to watch is good. Why pay more to sit down or to look behind the glass of an Executive box?  The Notts County fan standing nearby bemoaned the fact that her chap wouldn’t come because it was being staged at the ground south of the river. He missed a good night.

The rain didn’t matter. The guy with the golfing umbrella nearby was a bit unpopular though when REM came on stage. The brolly made an easy target for plastic bottles which smashed into peoples heads around us and such was his instant unpopularity with those being hit he put it down sharpish to loud cheers from the bottle hurlers and supporters.

Wet REM fans at the City Ground.

“Bad Day” was a rousing start. The Elastic man Stipe straight into full flow at a pace. At the openers conclusion a guy in the crowd yelled “What’s the frequency Kenneth?” and instantly received acclaim from those around him when that indeed came next.

The fast moving live video wall either side of the stage was impressive too and provided some scary close ups and wonderful images of the action.

Michael Stipe told us he last came to Nottingham as a tourist. Some wag shouted “Why?” Then he was reminded later on that REM had played Rock City in 1984.

It was a run through of all the hits. “Everybody Hurts” produced a mass singalong. “Electrolite” and the more recent “Electron Blue” from the last album which Stipe said was his favourite track from “Around the Sun”.

When he said something along the lines that they were from a small place in the middle of a big country another wit yelled “Shepshed”. There were muffled boos when the words “United States” came out but a roar at the condemnation of the present administration which followed.

“Orange Crush” complete with yelling into a megaphone and “Losing my religion” were included too. The six song encore included “Imitation of Life”, “The great beyond”, a new song which ripped along at a pace.

It would be a cliché to say it sounded like a “return to form” but I don’t think REM have ever been off form. “Man on the moon” ended it all. This was Premiership stuff in a third division ground. Don’t wait 21 years before paying us another visit.

The Beat's Dean Jackson interviewed REM's Michael Stipe after last night's gig. You will be able to hear it on the web from 6pm - 10pm on Saturday 9th July. If you miss it we'll put the full interview on the website on Monday 11th July.