Live bands normally fall into three rough categories, good, bad and ok. Then there is secret category number four in which only the very finest and most talented bands fall into. These are the kind of bands who have a loyal and dedicated following of fans who know all the words to all the songs , own the back copies to every album and deleted single ever released and know small irrelevant facts about the band in question.
R.E.M are just one of these bands. Formally called the Twisted Kites, they started out practicing in an Episcopalian church. Nowadays though the thought of such an influential and popular band playing anywhere that isn't stadium sized is slightly inconceivable, in fact it was strange enough seeing them perform in a packed sports field next to an old peoples home at the Isle of Wight festival.
This feeling though soon disappeared though to be replace by a sense of excitement as the band appeared on stage and burst into their opening song. R.E.M were on stage for over an hour and the group put all their efforts into making it a truly memorable performance for everyone watching. The band worked well together like a well oiled machine, and although their songs
must have been performed live a thousand times before, they still made them sound as fresh and new as the first time they were performed.
The group played most of their greatest hits, 'Losing My Religion,' 'Bad Day,' 'Man on the Moon' and 'The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight' to name but a few. Then, as the sun started to set over the back of the stage, the pace slowed down, and the band launched into 'Everybody Hurts' to much cheering and lighter waving from the crowd. It was a beautiful moment, the musical equivalent of a religious experience made only better by the fact that the masses of people watching did not try and break into song (as is customary) but instead fell into a reverential silence. Not every band has the power to do this, and this only demonstrated the hold the group had on the crowd- and the brilliance that this band have.
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Stipe was dressed in a business suit and had a blue strip of paint on his face which went from one ear to the next- giving him a slightly crazy and wild appearance, which was mirrored in his dancing. But wow how he danced! It was amazing to watch, just going to show that R.E.M are no way past their sell by date, and even if their new albums are no longer worshiped the way they once were by the critics, they can still make a crowd of thousands of people (young and old) roar in appreciation, chant along to (pretty much) every song- and get ageing parents to dance once more.
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