valentine's day R.E.M. @ Stubb's BBQ - 12 March 2008 (SXSW Day 1, pics, live video/mp3)

valentine's day EAR FARM's first day at SXSW was spent with the band Dead Confederate. We got to see them play a small show at Bourbon Rocks and then spent the rest of the day with them as they prepared for their opening slot for fellow Athens residents R.E.M. at Stubb's BBQ. The goal was to document the day, for both EAR FARM as well as Dead Confederate, and we were able to get all kinds of great video/Super 8mm footage - be on the lookout for it in the near future.

Needless to say, being members of Dead Confederate's crew for the day gave us a rather unique experience in regards to seeing R.E.M. - we arrived to load in just as R.E.M. was finishing soundcheck, got to see all of their guitars and gear backstage, and got to "hang out" with Michael Stipe in the green room area before the show. It was very surreal, very awesome. Dead Confederate played immediately before R.E.M. and completely killed it. The stage and sound couldn't have been any better and the guys more than rose to the occasion of playing for the packed house of eager R.E.M. fans. I videotaped the entire Dead Confederate set (video forthcoming) but wasn't able to grab any pics of them.

R.E.M. came on promptly at midnight and played for an hour and a half, sounding as fresh and rocking as they likely ever have. The set (set list below) was comprised largely of new songs, the majority of which immediately had me wanting to own the record so I could listen to them again. For my very first time seeing the band, I was extremely satisfied, rocked, and a bit starstruck. See more pictures, live video/mp3, and the set list, after the jump.

valentine's day
valentine's day
valentine's day
valentine's day Listen:
"Drive" by R.E.M. live (from this show)

Watch:
"Drive" by R.E.M. live (from this show) on YouTube | download QT

Set list (from HERE)
Living Well's the Best Revenge
Mansized Wreath
Second Guessing
Drive
Hollow Man
Animal
Auctioneer (Another Engine)
Mr. Richards
Fall On Me
The Great Beyond
Houston
Electrolite
Accelerate
Until the Day Is Done
Final Straw
Bad Day
Horse to Water
Walk Unafraid
--
Supernatural Superserious
Imitation of Life
Happy Birthday -- to Dewitt Burton
I'm Gonna DJ
Man on the Moon

See more pictures of R.E.M. (from this show) HERE.

Visit R.E.M. on MySpace.