R.E.M. Live at the Olympia

R.E.M. will release Live At The Olympia in Dublin on Oct 27, 2009 (Warner Bros.) The two-CD set features 39 songs from the band’s “working rehearsals” for their 2008 album Accelerate.

The material was tested over five nights before capacity Dublin crowds, and this release presents different incarnations of the songs before the final Accelerate versions. The band also performed many fan favorites from their early albums too.

Guitarist Peter Buck characterized these sessions as their “experiment in terror:”

“Every second we were playing something we didn’t know all that well. Which was kind of good — there were all kinds of terror elements going on during that show.”

This looks like it will be a good recording to add to the collection.

I saw this video and thought I’d share it. I can only imagine how much fun it was to be at these shows. Hope you enjoy it too!

Living Well Is The Best Revenge