When Michael Stipe ran onstage Wednesday night and greeted the audience at Philadelphia’s Mann Center for the Performing Arts, it looked like he had just completed some sort of victory lap. He deserves one. Stipe and his R.E.M. band mates have just released their most solid album in a decade, and are currently wrapping up a colossal tour that places their new hits next to their old classics. Accelerate, their 14th studio album, may not be an alt-rock masterpiece like Automatic for the People or Murmur, but its tracks became irresistible anthems when unveiled at the huge venue.
For a band that is heavily influenced by mainstream alternative music,
it’s easy to forget how much R.E.M. actually can rock. Songs like
“Orange Crush” and “Ignoreland” kept the fists pumping, while new
track “Living Well is the Best Revenge” featured a scorching guitar
lick from Peter Buck. During the two-hour set, Stipe managed to
awkwardly dance and strut around the stage while maintaining his
indestructible status as a hipster rock god. He, Buck, and bassist Mike
Mills are all stage-worn pros: their hit singles and stage presence
were predictably great, and the success of their new material felt like
an added bonus.
Openers The National and Modest Mouse ran through shortened sets
with mixed results. While The National’s muted indie rock hit all the
right notes, Isaac Brock’s crew sounded uneven throughout their
performance. However, neither opening act could match the charisma – or
the formidable song catalogue – of the headliner. Even a special
appearance by Eddie Vedder during the encore couldn’t shake R.E.M.’s
firm grasp on the night. Accelerate has made R.E.M. not only revered
but relevant in the modern-rock landscape once again, and Wednesday’s
show was their long-overdue celebration. One couldn’t help but join in
on the fun.
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