wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

OK, so it seemed doubtful that I would make it into the R.E.M. show at Stubb’s. Lots of factors working against me: first album in four years, big preview show at SXSW, first time festival attendee who doesn’t really, truth be told, know how to weild a badge.

My evening starts badly — I gamble on a showcase located about as far away from the festival as it gets, simply because the bands come from a smaller (but major) city in Ohio. I think it’s cool. And it turns out to be atrocious. Seriously, not fun. I don’t want to get into it more than that. But it was not good. My first sign of danger should have been evident when a bartender spilled half my beer on me. Get out while you can, the voice whispered to me — yet I remained.

I trudged all the way to Stubb’s, where R.E.M. was scheduled to play, without much hope of getting in. And yet, with two opening bands to go, I basically waltzed in. Except I didn’t waltz.

Papercranes were good, followed by Dead Confederate, who were excellent. The R.E.M. crowd wasn’t into it, but they freaking rocked. And later, the bald man came on stage …

R.E.M. bit into mostly new stuff, with an opener that was, well, heaven. I haven’t heard anything on the new album besides the single — and that’s a lot, mind you — but that first song sounded wonderful. New songs kept on coming, and I can’t wait to hear the new record. Sigh … I leave midway through the set to catch a ride, as we have another big Soundcheck on tap tomorrow.

Er, I mean today.