I Stand Corrected

Or, in the place where I am. You pick.

So, about four and a half or five years ago, REM set out on a tour. This was a very cool tour; fans could email them song requests, and they'd look over them and based on popularity and the band's mood, would create the play list for each show. I saw them in Raleigh, and it was a great show. It also convinced me that REM was done touring; I thought they would very likely produce more albums, but I really didn't think they'd tour again.

I based this on several reasons, beyond the fact that the band (like all of us) were getting older (and don't even talk to me about the Stones -- Keith Richards and Mick Jagger are NOT normal).

First, there was the whole feel of the shows; by letting fans request the music, the shows wound up representing pretty much every album. They didn't necessarily have a 'greatest hits' feel, because many of the songs played weren't the singles, but they did have a retrospective feel.

Secondly, the final two shows were in Raleigh and Atlanta. Now, REM certainly got huge in Athens WAY before they got big anywhere else, but Chapel Hill ran Athens a close second (man, it was great to go to school in a big college-music town), and for many years they considered the Triangle, and Chapel Hill specifically, their second home. So, to finish off in the Triangle and then Georgia seemed to hint at a valedictory tour.

Finally, Bill Berry joined them, at least in Raleigh, and I believe in Atlanta, and played backup percussion. Now how cool is that?!?!?! But again, it gave a very definite "goodbye" feel to the shows.

Well, turns out my REM prognostication skills are about as good as my Harry Potter prognostication skills: REM tours again.

I'm really, REALLY surprised. I really thought they were done.

Of course, since Raleigh is on the list of cities, I'm also really, REALLY happy!!!!