R.E.M. rocks the vote

[seemslikeadream]

By Sarah Rodman
Saturday, October 30, 2004

Apparently new habits die as hard as old ones.

R.E.M. may have finished up the Vote For Change tour recently with politically like-minded artists like Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam, but they were still trying to get out the vote last night during their show at the FleetCenter. In addition to a custom Red Sox jersey, frontman Michael Stipe sported a T-shirt with Vote inscribed on it and encouraged the crowd to fulfill its civic duty on Tuesday.

Although he promoted voting regardless of party affiliation, the Kerry-supporting singer, alluding to the winning ways of the hometown team, voiced the hope that the Hub-centric streak would continue through next week.

While Stipe kept the speechifying to a minimum, ardent fans likely read between the lines of the rich, two-hour setlist that included a slew of politically informed oldies including the meditative ``World Leader Pretend,'' the energetic lament ``Welcome to the Occupation'' and the spare, wriggling ``Exhuming McCarthy.'' Newer protest songs like the churning, Dylan-esque acoustic rocker ``Final Straw'' contributed to the urgency. Those last two represented part of the hefty portion of songs played from the band's most recent release Around the Sun.

Some songs doubtlessly convinced members of the two-thirds capacity crowd to check out this underrated release, while others supported the notion of it being something of a mid-tempo snooze.

Supplemented by three backing musicians, the Georgia alt-rock trio hit a high point with the intricately arranged ``Boy in the Well.'' Stipe, in terrific, impassioned voice all night swooped through the song's hypnotic melodic bits with bassist Mike Mills ably backing him on high harmonies and a brief melodica solo produced shivers.

http://theedge.bostonherald.com/musicNews/view.bg?articleid=51654

You're beautiful more beautiful than me
You're honorable more honorable than me
Loyal to the Bank of America

It's a sign of the times
It's a sign of the times

You're sharpening stones, walking on coals
To improve your business acumen
Sharpening stones, walking on coals,
To improve your business acumen

Vested interest united ties, landed gentry rationalize
Look who bought the myth, by jingo, buy America

Enemy sighted, enemy met, I'm addressing the realpolitik
Look who bought the myth, by jingo, buy America

"Let us not assassinate this man further Senator,
You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir?
At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"

We're sharpening stones, walking on coals
To improve your business acumen
Sharpening stones, walking on coals,
To improve your business acumen

Enemy sighted, enemy met, I'm addressing the realpolitik
You've seen start and you've seen quit
(I'm addressing the table of content)
I always thought of you as quick
Exhuming McCarthy
(Meet me at the book burning)
Exhuming McCarthy
(Meet me at the book burning)
Exhuming McCarthy
(Meet me at the book burning)
Exhuming McCarthy
(Meet me at the book burning)

[bobbyboucher]

1. Exhuming McCarthy is one of my faves.

I saw them in Berkeley a couple of weeks ago. Awesome. Michael is the bomb.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

4. World Leader Pretend

I sit at my table and wage war on myself
It seems like it's all...it's all for nothing
I know the barricades, and
I know the mortar in the wall breaks
I recognize the weapons, I used them well

This is my mistake. Let me make it good
I raised the wall, and I will be the one to knock it down

I've a rich understanding of my finest defenses
I proclaim that claims are left unstated,
I demand a rematch
I decree a stalemate
I divine my deeper motives
I recognize the weapons
I've practiced them well. I fitted them myself

It's amazing what devices you can sympathize...empathize
This is my mistake. Let me make it good
I raised the walls, and I will be the one to knock it down

Reach out for me and hold me tight. Hold that memory
Let my machine talk to me. Let my machine talk to me

This is my world
And I am the world leader pretend
This is my life
And this is my time
I have been given the freedom
To do as I see fit
It's high time I've razed the walls
That I've constructed

It's amazing what devices you can sympathize...emapathize
This is my mistake. Let me make it good
I raised the walls, and I will be the one to knock it down

You fill in the mortar. You fill in the harmony
You fill in the mortar. I raised the walls
And I'm the only one
I will be the one to knock it down

____________________________________________________

By the way, REM's website below, has some cool things on there, including the recommedation of Eminem's Mosh video (with a link to boot).

http://www.remhq.com/flash/index.html

[lostnfound]

9. I love REM like I would a family member

Music for the most joyful hours of my life, lyrics for my best dreams.
Wish there was a 'blow-you-a-kiss' smilie!

:loveya: :headbang:

[milkyway]

2. I'm seeing them in NYC on Thursday, their first show after the election.

[RazzleCat]

3. Got the best show venu of all

St. Louis Fox 2 weeks ago, a tiny 3500 seat theater. Excellent show, and yep stripe had the vote shirt on.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

5. Reminder: Sundance is replaying the Vote For Change Concert tonight.

Back by popular demand, catch the final concert of the "Vote for Change" tour including performances from Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band, The Dixie Chicks, R.E.M. and others.

NATIONAL ANTHEM
Saturday October 30 6:30PM

http://www.sundancechannel.com/

[Wind Dancer]

6. Great to hear!

So glad to have R.E.M, the Boss, and Pearl Jam so openly express their compassion about changing this country.

Pearl Jam has several great activism sources & other info on their web page:
http://www.pearljam.com/

Eddie Vedder has been such an advocate for Kerry, love the fact he had Howard Zinn at their opening VFC concert, they've become close over the years from EV's interviews.

The Boss has Al Gore's brilliant speech on his website, so glad he is out performing with Kerry - I saw him for the first time over 30 years ago in a small park when he played with Steel Mill, have loved him ever since.

http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html

Man, I am getting old!

[MGKrebs]

7. REM let us set up a table at their show here in Georgia,

at the Gwinnett Arena.

Pics are here;

http://www.georgiafordemocracyinc.org/photos/rem.001.html

A cool "vote" t-shirt:

[Wind Dancer]

8. Cool!