REM Gund Arena

Cleveland, Ohio

October 2, 2004

VFC concert "Laying The Sidewalks"

 

This is a Mix of a circulating DAT Audience recording, and a IEM... It appears that they were haveing some difficulties with the sound that night... The IEM is just basicaly a vocals feed. So the mix basicaly enhances the vocal clarity (and some minor drum and guitar sounds).

 

01 Bruce Springsteen Introduction

02 The One I Love

03 Animal

04 Leaving New York

05 Life and How To Live It

06 Cuyahoga

07 Final Straw

08 Imitation of Life

09 I Wanted To Be Wrong

10 Losing My Religion

11 Walk Unafraid

12 Stipe introduces Bruce Springsteen

13 Bad Day *

14 Man on the Moon

 

* * w/Bruce Springsteen - vocals, guitar Conan

*******************end original text*******************

Notes:

-The IEM feed seems to be at times MS and at other times MM. As such the various qualities that MM and MS prefer rotate through being front and center in this recording. It's kind of odd.

-MS gives the band's approval of this concert before Leaving New York. After the song "They told me we were going to do a show but not just an R.E.M. show. We're going to do something that's really big. And they said 'we're going to do it in a swing state'. And I said 'I like singing. I think it's a great thing'. I was thinking about one of my favorite actors is Sigourney Weaver after that first Alien movie. She's awesome and she did that movie where they have that big bowl and everybody threw their keys in. So hen they said 'we're going to Ohio, it's a swing state' I said 'I like Ohioans because I like to swing'. In fact, when I was a child, one of the first records I had was a Dean Martin record. Where is he from? [MM] Stuebenville. [MS] is Dean Martin from here? He was a swinger wasn't he?". He goes on to send the song out to Dean Martin and the swingers of Ohio. -After L&HTLI MS notes the song had no political meaning, then "So I know that I'm a really great storyteller...right? I had all you guys fooled talking about Dean Martin didn't I? I know what swing state means. It's really important that you guys are here tonight supporting this thing and i want each and every one of you actually, whatever side of the fence you're on, undecided, I want you to give yourself a hand for being here this evening. We all know as Bruce said earlier Monday is the cut off point for registering voters. If you're not a registered voter, I'm sure everyone here is right? But everyone has a postman or an Aunt Bessie who remembers Eisenhower. She's probably smarter than all of us put together, she's seen it all. She didn't lay the sidewalks, she's been around the block. Wait, she hasn't been around the block, she laid the sidewalks. Aunt Bessie. You make sure Aunt Bessie is right beside you. On Your arm. If she can't walk help her walk. Get her to the polls. We need people to vote in Ohio November 2nd". He goes on a bit longer, urging people to get everyone registered.

-Before Cuyahoga again addresses the importance of voting and references a recent conversation with Patti Smith in which she chose the name for Final Straw.

-There is a cut between LMR and Walk Unafraid that misses the beginning of WU.

-Bruce changes the lyrics of MOTM slightly and MS botches the song.

 

Grade: B

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