5 October
1992 - On this day R.E.M released their eight studio album ‘Automatic For The People’ in the UK.
The pre-listening party was at the 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA (R.E.M. Timeline)
“Drive”
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40 years go today, I made it a point to stay up late to catch R.E.M. making their network television debut on Late Night with David Letterman. For many of my generation this was our “Beatles on Ed Sullivan” moment. At least it was for me. This was not my introduction to R.E.M., I’d first heard them back in the spring when Murmur was released thanks to a local progressive FM station, WQDR which was based out of Raleigh, NC. The first song I recall hearing was a deep cut, “Laughing.” That set the hook for me.
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10 October
This particular day may have been posted in the first OTD thread. It’s a beauty from R.E.M. early days so I’m posting it again.
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1982 - The Pier, Raleigh, NC
Support: Peter Holsapple
Peter Holsapple set included: Neverland
R.E.M.: Gardening At Night / 9-9 / Pilgrimage / Wolves, Lower / Laughing / There She Goes Again / Romance / Sitting Still / 1,000,000 / Moral Kiosk / Catapult / West Of The Fields / Radio Free Europe
encore 1: White Tornado / Ages Of You / We Walk / What’s New Pussycat - Carnival Of Sorts (Box Cars)
Encore 2: Ska
Encore 3: Rave On / Gloria
Notes: During the encore before ‘Carnival Of Sorts (Box Cars)’, Stipe asks for requests that they don’t know, so some guy shouts out for ‘Black and White’ which is a song by The dB’s, & Peter Holsapple is already on stage to play guitar on ‘Carnival Of Sorts (Box Cars)’. Some other person shouts for ‘What’s New Pussycat’, to which Bill says “hey that’s a good one, I’d love to”, and he sings a few bars of it, with Holsapple backing on guitar.
Berry, Buck and Mills joined Holsapple for ‘Neverland’ at the end of his set. Mitch Easter joins R.E.M. on guitar on ‘Romance’, ‘Sitting Still’ & ‘1,000,000’.
This show can be found on the CD bootleg “Rave On”, minus ‘Gloria’. The entire show was filmed by a local cable channel (presumably where the audio for the bootleg comes from), and an edited dvd of the show has now appeared online. (R.E.M. Timeline)
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On this day 20 years ago I saw R.E.M. perform with Bill Berry for the first time since he’d left the band in 1997 when he joined them onstage at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre in Raleigh, NC. I’d seen him standing in the wings just off stage earlier in the evening and wondered if he might put in an appearance.
As the show was winding down he walked out to join Mike Mills on harmony vocals on “Radio Free Europe.” When the song was over he started to make his way towards the drum kit. Bill Rieflin politely stepped aside as Bill sat down behind the kit. At this point, Stipe took a giant leap skyward. With this, the band launched into “Permanent Vacation.” The applause was deafening.
The next day, local music journalist, David Menconi, then with the Raleigh News & Observer put word out that he was in need of some photos from the show as he was writing a piece on it for Mojo magazine. At this point I rushed over to the nearest One Hour Photo to have my film developed. The moment it was ready I overnighted it to David in Raleigh. That’s my photo in the upper right corner. Footage below of “Permanent Vacation.”
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Nice picture, and what a great show to see!
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They always seemed to reserve some special treats for us in Raleigh whether it was “Camera” in '99, this show, or when they brought Mitch Easter and Don Dixon out for “Sitting Still” during their last performance here in 2008. All largely due to their numerous ties to NC from playing their first show outside of Georgia at the Station in Carrboro to making some of their earliest recordings here. They never forgot their NC roots.
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October 13
1999 - R.E.M. were in Studio 24, Paramount Studios, Hollywood, CA., for the filming of ‘The Great Beyond’ video, directed by Liz Friedlander. (R.E.M. Timeline notes)
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October 14
I’m a day late in my time zone posting this, but I had to. This gorgeous performance of “Nightswimming” with Michael & Mike , 2003 - ‘Later… with Jools Holland’, BBC2, Studio TC1, BBC Television Centre, London, England.
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8-16 October
2001 - R.E.M.'s West Clayton Street Studio, Athens, GA
Tracks recorded included: Don’t Be Denied
16 October - Find The River / Lotus
R.E.M. Timeline notes: Rehearsal Sessions for upcoming shows.
“Find The River” is recorded for the 2001 R.E.M. Fan Club Single.
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17 October
1988 - ‘Eponymous’ is released in the UK. A collection of singles from R.E.M.'s first five albums, including the soundtrack contribution “Romance”.
“Gardening At Night” (Alternate vocal mix)
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21 October
1986 - Chick Evans Field House, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL
Support: Camper Van Beethoven
Set: These Days / Harborcoat / Moral Kiosk / We Walk - Finest Worksong / The One I Love / Gardening At Night / Underneath The Bunker / Spooky / Shaking Through / Feeling Gravitys Pull / The Flowers Of Guatemala / Finest Worksong - I Believe / Swan Swan H / Old Man Kensey / Superman / Can’t Get There From Here / Cushy Tush (snippet) / Pretty Persuasion / Auctioneer (Another Engine) / Life And How To Live It
Encore 1: Fall On Me / Cuyahoga / Driver 8
Encore 2: We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) / Oddfellows Local 151 / Strange / Pilgrimage / I Can Only Give You Everything
Encore 3: Cushy Tush (Instrumental) (snippet) / Begin The Begin / Toys In The Attic - Free Money / Free Money - Funtime
Encore 4: So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)
Notes: Gary Zekley who wrote ‘Superman’ joined the band on stage on vocals for the performance of the song, & Jonathan Segal from Camper Van Beethoven joined on violin on ‘Feeling Gravitys Pull’. (R.E.M. Timeline)
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26 October
1998 - R.E.M. release their 11th studio album ‘Up’ everywhere else outside of North America
26 October - Georgia Theatre, Athens
R.E.M. Timeline notes: ‘Up’ Pre-Release Listening Party. Well fed by Weaver D’s, As well as playback of the new album, included a live auction of rare memorabilia & other goodies and raffle & door prizes. R.E.M. were not present. Proceeds benefited Community Connection Of Northeast Georgia.
“You’re In The Air” 
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27 October
1998 - ‘Up’ is released in North America
Also on this day -
‘Later… With Jools Holland Presents R.E.M.’, BBC2, Studio TC1, BBC Television Centre, London, England
Set: Losing My Religion / Lotus / New Test Leper / Daysleeper / Electrolite / At My Most Beautiful / The Apologist / Country Feedback / Parakeet / So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry) / Walk Unafraid / Man On The Moon
Encore: Parakeet / Perfect Circle / The Passenger
R.E.M. Timeline notes: Television performance on ‘Later… With Jools Holland Presents R.E.M.’ on BBC2. BJ Cole plays slide guitar on ‘Daysleeper’, ‘Country Feedback’, ‘Man On The Moon’ & ‘The Passenger’. ‘Parakeet’ is played twice due to technical issues. Jools Holland plays piano on ‘The Passenger’. An edited version (not including the 2nd version of ‘Parakeet’ & ‘Perfect Circle’) was first broadcast on BBC2 on 6 November 1998. ‘Perfect Circle’ was included on ‘R.E.M. at the BBC’ compilation of BBC appearances, first broadcast on BBC2 on 13 January 2012.
I couldn’t find a live video from the Jools Holland performance of “Walk Unafraid”, so I’m posting the album track. One of the best R.E.M songs imo.
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Wow, I would love to know the lyrics to the demo. Where do you find these delicious rarities, Lori?
I know this is a late response to the post but it’s the first time I’ve found this thread. It’s a great one.
ETA The song I’m referring to here is Blackbirds/ Half A World. Away. But the whole thread is gold.
Nightswimmg - Jools Holland BBC.
I was there.Still moved by the intimacy and friendship between Michael and Mike near the end. Just beautiful.
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29 October
1998 - ‘Uptake’, Sound Stage 2, Ealing Studios, London, England
Set: Daysleeper / Lotus / Sad Professor / At My Most Beautiful / Suspicion / Parakeet
Notes: Television performance filmed in a warehouse with no audience. BJ Cole plays slide guitar on ‘Daysleeper’. This was used to promote the official single of ‘Suspicion’.
‘Top Of The Pops’, BBC1, Studio C, BBC Elstree Centre, London, England
Set: Lotus / Daysleeper / At My Most Beautiful / Man On The Moon
Notes: Television performance on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on BBC1. Individual songs from this performance were shown on later broadcasts - ‘Daysleeper’ on 7 November 1998, ‘Lotus’ on 18 December 1998 & ‘At My Most Beautiful’ on 19 March 1999.
(R.E.M. Timeline)
I believe these two videos are from ‘Uptake’, Sound Stage 2, Ealing Studios, London, England
“Sad Professor”
“Daysleeper”
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There is a lot of info on the The R.E.M. Timeline , dates of performances and events, sometimes you get lucky and find it mirrored on a youtube video or concert archive.
Here you go Etty - Blackbirds (Half a World Away Demo) Lyrics
I was there. Great stuff.
November 13
1989 - Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
Support: Pylon
Set 1: Radio Free Europe / Pilgrimage / Laughing / Talk About The Passion / Moral Kiosk / Perfect Circle / Catapult / Sitting Still / 9-9 / Shaking Through / We Walk / West Of The Fields
Set 2: Pop Song 89 / Get Up #1 / You Are The Everything / Stand / We Live As We Dream, Alone - World Leader Pretend / The Wrong Child / Orange Crush / Turn You Inside-Out / Hairshirt / I Remember California / [The Eleventh Untitled Song]
Encore 1: Get Up #2 / Wild Thing / Fall On Me
Encore 2: Low / Finest Worksong
Notes: Benefit show for L.E.A.F. (Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation), & Campaign For A Prosperous Georgia, which was technically not part of the Green tour. ‘Get Up #2’ and ‘Wild Thing’ were performed by “Micro And The Melons”, which included 3 guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer. (Microwave, Bill Thomson, Robert Weber, David Mauradian, & David Russell (on Drums). Bill plays keyboards and does back up vocals. Mike and Peter do back up as well while Michael sings lead. On ‘The Wrong Child’, Peter plays acoustic guitar, Bill plays mandolin, with Mike on keyboards (first and only time this song was performed by the band). For ‘Hairshirt’, Peter plays bass, Bill on mandolin & Mike on accordian. This show was filmed for ‘Tourfilm’, and brief footage from this show can be seen on the release. (R.E.M. Timeline)
“The Wrong Child”
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Are there any full recordings of this show around?