Live Review: R.E.M. with Camper Van Beethoven at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, KS, October 11, 1986

Touring behind their fourth studio album, the iconic Lifes Rich Pageant, R.E.M. have built a head of steam which will not fade anytime soon. The band put on their usual tour-de-force show. Such a great live band. Along with promoting Pageant for much of the night, There were several wonderful cover tunes.

Originally recorded by The Clique in 1969, “Superman” was rerecorded by R.E.M. for Pageant. Another great cover was “Strange,” originally recorded by Wire in 1977. The song would be on the upcoming R.E.M. release Document in 1987. The other covers were performed as the final three songs during the second encore. They included “Funtime” by Iggy Pop, “See No Evil” by Television, and “After Hours” by The Velvet Underground.

The massive 28-song, double-encore set was still too short. By now, the band’s fanbase had grown exponentially over time and for a band with just four albums out, these four Athens lads were primed to take over the world. Just my second R.E.M. concert after catching their Fables of the Reconstruction tour a year earlier. I was drawn to the mystery of Michael Stipe, the unexplainable style of music, and the aura produced from a Georgia college town. Instant fan.

Stipe is evolving, openly sharing his lyrical prowess (as opposed to early murmur days). Whether or not fans appreciate – or understand the significance of his words – is another story. Guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry are the perfect complement to Stipe’s one-of-a-kind voice (or is it the other way around?). Whatever your thoughts, there is no one out there even remotely sound like R.E.M. And that’s a good thing.

Redlands, California rockers Camper Van Beethoven were hot off releasing their self-titled second album after their debut last year, Telephone Free Landslide Victory, made some waves in the alt-rock world. The Camper’s jangle pop was an appropriate bedfellow for the headliners. Michael Stipe even chose their debut as one of his ten favorite albums of 1985.

Singer David Lowery would later form Cracker and if my crystal ball is accurate, he’ll become a lecturer on music at the University of Georgia. His musical inspirations may be far flung, but they formed his musical psyche.

Check out the band’s cover of the Black Flag standard “Wasted.” The original was a 51 second cacophony of sound. The Campers doubled the track time with a slower and more melodious recording. It’s a worthy cover. Your’e welcome.

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