Nice

REM.

Oh. My. God.

I am a confirmed fanboi. Definitely.

The venue, the Theatre de Verdure, was great. Open air and yet cosy. Michael Stipe looked well (not as skinny as he was last time), as did Peter Buck (not as chubby as he was last time), and Mike Mills (looked the same).

Play List (from my super wobbly notes taken in concert):

1. Begin the begin
2. Living well is the best revenge
3. Harborcoat
4. What’s the frequency, Kenneth?
5. Seven Chinese brothers
6. Man-sized wreath
7. Ignoreland “This is a song we wrote way back in 1924. It’s about the 1979 hostage crisis which led to the presidency of Ronald Reagan and George Bush senior”
8. Walk unafraid
9. Disturbance at the Heron House
10. Drive
11. Hollow man (Michael Stipe’s new favourite song, apparently)
12. Great beyond
13. Houston
14. Electrolyte
15. The one I love
16. Imitation of life
17. Nightswimming (Stipe stood with back to audience, leaning against a piano, played by Mike Mills)
18. Let me in
19. Pretty persuasion
20. Bad day
21. Horse to water
22. I’m gonna DJ
23. Supernatural superserious (encore)
24. Losing my religion (encore)
25. Fall on me (encore)
26. Man on the moon(encore)

It was a great show. Michael Stipe was very comfortable, and flirted a bit with the audience. This was the first time REM have performed in Nice – it was Stipe’s idea, apparently. The support act was a French band, Le Deal (sp?). They were alright but I think everyone was waiting for REM.

Because we forgot to pack the cord for the camera I can’t upload any pictures; I suppose it will wait until we get back.

A very pleasant warm evening, only slightly marred by the fact that many in the audience were smoking.

As for Nice, we only spent a night and a few hours there. It was very pleasantly warm. M swam in the Mediterranean while I sat on the pebbly beach. Greatest thing about having been to France: I have now lost my fear of the French language!