all photos: FaithDesired
With the oppressive heat somewhat subdued, the one of the best triple bills I’ve ever seen and a swarm of people over 40 it was set to be an interesting night at Merriweather. The National (whom I missed because of God awful traffic even though I left work early) went on at 6:30. Who starts a show at 6:30 p.m. all the way out in Columbia anyway? Supposedly they were good, heavy on Boxer, but still good nonetheless.
Modest Mouse kept it current for the older crowd. Pretty much just 45 minutes of tracks from their last two albums save Tiny Cities Made of Ashes and Truckers Atlas. Johnny Marr is an adorable, wee man. But despite all being great musicians with a range of 8345935 instruments and two drummers, they just aren’t a very exciting band to see live. They never have been really. Everyone in the pit pretty much just sat around during their set – little excitement, a lot of beer purchasing and drinking.
REM exploded onto the stage just before 9 p.m. with Finest Worksong. I mean seriously exploded. Michael Stipe is such a presence, such a charming front man that he can pretty much do no wrong. In his little suit jumping around like a man half his age – he’s really rather amazing. Peter Buck and Mike Mills still have it too.
It was the perfect mix of old and new: What’s the Frequency Kenneth? Pop Song 89, Ignoreland, Drive, Orange Crush, Houston, Electrolite and Losing My Religion among others. My OMGWTFBBQ! moment? Getting Driver 8 just a few songs after I had said how much I wanted to hear it. Of course it wouldn’t be a DC REM show without (Don’t Go Back to) Rockville. As soon as Stipe stepped aside and Mills grabbed a cowboy hat it was pretty obvious what was next. Singing and freaking out ensued.
Stipe did manage to incite a few ‘boos’ towards the end of the set when he got right up into the cameras and put on an Obama pin. The 40+ Republican age set in the pit obviously didn’t approve.
Finally, the icing on top? Johnny Marr playing with REM during Fall On Me. It was mid-80s bliss. He also sat in on Man on the Moon – amazing stuff. Perfect ending for two hours worth of everything REM could manage and more. REM was on top of their game.
Totally agree - REM is one of the few bands worth seeing in a “big” setting that don’t need spectacle to get over. They made the transition on the Green Tour and never looked back.
I wish Marr still played harmonica live like he did a ton when he was in The The. Seriously.
June 13, 2008 at 11:55 amHaving grown up outside Athens, I saw R.E.M. many, many times pre-1990 so I haven’t bothered to go see any of their subsequent stadium shows. Sometimes I think I might, like for this one, but then I don’t.
June 13, 2008 at 12:04 pmMany more show coverages from Faith/Shantell to come.
I pinky swear.
Some of my favorite songs ever are REM songs.
I am just always afraid of big shows.
sad to have missed this show as well
considering how much of Life’s Rich Pageant they played
easily their best album
and how little of it they played at Tibetan Freedom Fest
sigh
I wish they’d just perform Murmur in its entirety!
June 13, 2008 at 12:26 pmDid they play I Believe? Best song ever. Or maybe Leave is the best one. I know it’s hella underrated.
June 13, 2008 at 12:31 pmI really wanted to hear ‘Radio Free Europe.’ But nooooo
Setlist:
Finest Worksong
Living Well Is The Best Revenge
Bad Day
What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?
Drive
Ignoreland
Man-Sized Wreath
Little America
Hollow Man
Walk Unafraid
Houston
Electrolite
(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville
Pop Song 89
Horse To Water
The One I Love
Driver 8
Until The Day Is Done
Let Me In
These Days
Orange Crush
I’m Gonna DJ
Supernatural Superserious
Losing My Religion
Mr. Richards
Fall On Me
Man On The Moon
my favorite has always been ‘world leader pretend’. lyrically awesome.
June 13, 2008 at 12:49 pmR.E.M. Setlist, for those who might be interested:
1. Finest Worksong
2. Living Well Is the Best Revenge
3. Bad Day
4. What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?
5. Drive
6. Ignoreland
7. Man-Sized Wreath
8. Little America
9. Hollow Man
10. Walk Unafraid.
11. Houston
12. Electrolite
13. (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville
14. Pop Song 89
15. Horse to Water
16. The One I Love
17. Driver 8
18. Until The Day Is Done
19. Let Me In
20. These Days
21. Orange Crush
22. I’m Gonna DJ
23. Supernatural Superserious
24. Losing My Religion
25. Mr. Richards
26. Fall On Me
27. Man On The Moon
I had the best fucking time at this show! a truly incredible night of music. REM somehow pull off older and great without being dinosaur’s, it’s a sight.
one thing though; on the Obama pin, pretty much 1 in 100 people were booing. the rest were chearing.
June 13, 2008 at 1:08 pmThis was the perfect write-up! The show was really good and the boys were very energetic! It was apparent that they were having a good time! The National were wonderful! They sound good no matter what - although, I prefer them in smaller venues.
:-) Glad you like the pics - shooting the show was a lot of fun!
i’m not going to lie, i didn’t go to this show to see REM. in fact, i left 3 songs into their set. no offense to anyone else or their music. i’m just not a fan. and i’m really not a fan of music intermingled with politics…
that being said, both the national and modest mouse are brilliant in their own right. unfortunately no one in the crowd gave either of these bands a chance. people actually got mad when we got up to dance. and these were the same people that were sitting on blankets yapping and paying no attention to the music. that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. i’m definitely looking forward to seeing these two bands again in the future, when they are headlining or when they are playing with a headliner that draws a more open minded crowd.
June 13, 2008 at 1:43 pmJdos9 - I agree with you…not many people really even knew who The National were. :-/ I talked them up as much as I could while I was there. The house photographer for Merriweather had never heard of them! UGH! I told her to get to know them ASAP! They are def a band who deserves more attention!!!!
June 13, 2008 at 1:52 pmTrust me. It wasn’t my choice to miss The National and I was in a pretty terrible mood by the time I made it to Merriweather because of that. I left work early and everything but getting there from Alexandria was no joke.
I sometimes think it’s just not in the stars for me to see them. This isn’t the first time I’ve missed them due to extraordinary circumstances.
June 13, 2008 at 2:00 pmMerriweather is close for me - so that was good. :-) Hopefully they’ll be back around to play 9:30club again. They were great there last fall! Sorry about your hellish drive! I’m sure that wasn’t fun!
June 13, 2008 at 5:07 pmfor all the National fans: a pretty definitive review by Matthew and some great photos from Joel from last year at 930 club:
http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/live-dc/livedc-the-national-930-club/
June 13, 2008 at 9:36 pmoh, Svetlana! Thanks for that link! That was my first National show!!! I took pics at that show too - but, with my point and shoot because I didn’t have a photopass….
but, it was a wonderful show! I was right up front! :-)
Here they are…. They aren’t the sharpest photos but, hey - it was a point-n-shoot. The thing that I like the most is that it reminds me of a fantastic night! :-)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/faithdesired/sets/72157604272570162/
i rushed there from dc and then sprinted from the parking lot to see the national (the main reason i was there). i missed probably the first two songs but saw the whole set. not that many people were there in the pavilion yet. it was bizarre b.c i’d seen them three times before and all had been sold out shows (two headlining shows in nyc and opening for the arcade fire at d.a.r). that being said it was kind of cool. i walked all the way down to the front row before you get to the pit and was at eye level with the band. it was like getting a personal show and there were national fans around me.
modest mouse was entertaining and r.e.m was really good (i don’t know any of their songs besides radio hits though but it was still great). left after losing my religion during the first encore to beat traffic. back in dc in under half an hour.
June 16, 2008 at 9:34 am
Ok, now I wish I went to this show. Sometimes I forget how amazing REM is. They’re like the Led Zeppelin of indie rock - sometimes you need to step back and listen to them fresh and you’re like “oh yeah. they’re like the best band ever”
And great pics, can we get Faith out to more events please?
June 13, 2008 at 11:43 am