In February 1981, a year-and-a-half before ‘Chronic Town’ would be released, R.E.M. played three at Atlanta’s 688 Club.
Setlist:
1. “Rave On” (Partial)
2. “Burning Down”
3. “Dangerous Times”
4. “I Don’t Want You Anymore”
5. “Get on Their Way”
6. “Different Girl”
7. “Permanent Vacation”
8. “White Tornado”
9. “Narrator”
10. “Wind Out”
11. “Gardening at Night”
12. “Mystery to Me”
13. “Radio Free Europe”
From the video’s Youtube page (posted in 2013):
“Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the release of "Murmur" and somehow I stumbled upon the existence of this video which I'd never seen before. I love early R.E.M. especially "Chronic Town" and "Murmur"-era, so to get to see the band profusely sweating out these songs at such an early stage, and pro-shot, is just fascinating bliss. This was filmed less than two months after "Chronic Town" was released on I.R.S. and it's an outstanding document. It is also the earliest known professionally show footage of an R.E.M. show.
Setlist:
Wolves, Lower
Laughing
1,000,000 **
Moral Kiosk
Catapult
West of the Fields
Radio Free Europe
Ages of You
We Walk
Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars) ***
Skank (Jam)
** Mitch Easter, who produced "Chronic Town" as well as "Murmur" and "Reckoning" (with Don Dixon), joins the band on guitar)
*** As identified by peechpanda in the comments section, Peter Holsapple appears to join the band on guitar for this song)
Here’s a Quarantine-inspired playlist. With a story arc of sorts. Sort of like a concept album, except it’s a mix.
Curious? Why don’t you give it a listen. I’d like to hear someone else try and describe the journey of discovery I was trying to capture here. What do you think? How would you tell this story?
Playlist:
“Cold Hard Times” by Lee Hazlewood
“Don’t Come Around Here No More” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
“We Will Become Silhouettes” by the Postal Service
“T.B. Sheets” by Van Morrison
“Sorry You’re Sick” by Ted Hawkins
“It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M.
“American Heartache” by the Wood Brothers
“Down With Disease” by Phish
“Down With Desperation” by Sammy Brue
“Sometimes It’s Hard” by Rainer
“Consider the Ravens” by Dustin Kensrue
“Love Is Everywhere (Beware)” by Wilco
“Shelter From The Storm” by Bob Dylan
“Love Knows (No Borders” by Howe Gelb
“I’ll Be Your Shelter” by the Housemartins
“Sisters and Brothers” by the Vespers
Browse other Holiday at the Sea playlists.