R.E.M. - South By Southwest (SXSW)

(Broadcast)

13 March 2008 - Stubb's (SXSW) - Austin, Texas


REM frontman Michael Stipe paid tribute to Heath Ledger during the band's rousing set at South by Southwest tonight. Stipe dedicated the new song 'Until The Day Is Done' to the actor, who passed away in January. "This is dedicated to Heath Ledger, who loved this song," he said, ending the song by shouting, "Goodbye Heath, we loved you!" During their 90-minute set at Stubb's Bar-B-Q, the veteran Athens rockers previewed nearly every song from their forthcoming album 'Accelerate', which is due out in April. They began the night by launching into the first two songs off the album, 'Living Well Is The Best Revenge' and 'Man Sized Wreath'. "We're gonna do a bunch of new songs and we hope that you like them," Stipe told the packed house. "The good news is most of them are under two-and-a-half minutes so if you don't like them you can have a pee break or grab a beer," he quipped. Looking dapper in a black suit and green scarf, Stipe interacted with the adoring crowd throughout the night, calling out to friends in the audience and praising Austin for supporting US presidential candidate Barack Obama. REM also played some older tunes, including 'Fall On Me', 'Electrolite' and 2000 hit single 'The Great Beyond', which Stipe said he chose to add to their setlist even though the band hadn't rehearsed it in a couple of years. While introducing a trio of politically charged new tunes, Stipe said, "I'm terrified at how history will look back at the overreacting of the current administration to 9/11. We have a little less than two years to make something more of this decade," and the crowd cheered loudly in response.

01 Living well Is the Best Revenge
02 Man-Sized Wreath
03 Second Guessing
04 Drive
05 Hollow Man
06 Animal
07 Auctioneer (Another Engine)
08 Mr. Richards
09 Fall On Me
10 The Great Beyond
11 Houston
12 Electrolyte
13 Accelerate
14 Until the Day Is Done
15 Final Straw
16 Bad Day
17 Horse to Water
18 Walk Unafraid
19 Supernatural Superserious
20 Imitation of Life
21 I’m Gonna DJ
22 Man on the Moon

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