I have one REM story, and now seems like a good time to tell it.

A friend of mine had just started work doing promo for I.R.S. Records, and handed out a bunch of passes to the REM show at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. https://twitter.com/m_millsey/status/1247204811432476674

This was the "Reconstruction" tour in 1985, so they weren't playing stadiums yet, but the Fox is a big venue. It was an early show, and when we got there, they were playing baseball in the parking lot.

We got our seats, and their opener, the Replacements, rolled out and delivered one of the most drunken, shambolic sets I have ever witnessed. It's a whole 'nother story, actually.

After the Replacements are bodily dragged off the stage (passed out)(no, really), the stagehands pull the sheets off of REM's gear, and their stage set is a railway crossing.

It looked cool, but then it all started *working*, with the sound and lights of an approaching train. It was awesome. When the "train" reached the crossing, REM walked out of the light.

Still my favourite band walk-on, after The Mothership.

After the show, we were allowed to stay for a meet-&-greet b/c we were with the I.R.S. rep, so we (Kroha & I) go to meet REM. I'll never forget the look on Michael Stipe's face when he laid eyes on us, in our Mod clothes, like "look at THESE guys!"

They were all super cool to us, and I've always remembered that about them.

Happy Anniversary REM

So, @kosmo_wren has reminded me that the reason the party I was with got to the Fox Theatre early was to interview the Three O'Clock, who were first on the bill that night. I had completely forgotten, after all these years