The International House of Bacon

Cheating a bit, because I’ve only been to five, but still.

5) United Center, Chicago IL, 23 September 2003 (initial reaction): In terms of an experience - meeting a ton of people for the first time, seeing my favorite band in a completely different region, the circumstances that got me there, this is one of the best concerts ever for me. As a set, though, looking back, it was a little weak. Rescued in part by the first playing of “Shaking Through” since 1989, we still had to sit through “Everybody Hurts,” “Drive,” and “All the Way to Reno,” three songs that just don’t do it in a live set like this, and especially in the same set. Still a great show, but yeah.

4) Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT, 5 November 2004 (initial reaction): It was a casino crowd and “These Days” was ultimately the only curveball thrown the entire evening. I do remember this show being roughly four days after the election, and Stipe not being all that pleased about it and it came across on stage quite obviously. Joseph Arthur was the opener, and the crowd was so amazingly rude about it that it was really disappointing. Not a great experience on the crowd end, but still a strong, if careful, set.

3) FleetCenter, Boston, MA, 29 October 2004 (initial reaction): My memory of this concert is more enveloped by the entire day (Joey visiting, a day in Boston post-World Series win with him and Georgy, etc) than the setlist, which was even more standard than the Mohegan one a week later.

2) Great Woods, Mansfield, MA, 11 September 1999: My first R.E.M. concert, up in the lawn, first tour in almost 5 years, last show of the Up tour. I can’t gush about this show enough - only time “Radio Free Europe” was played on the tour, “Wolves, Lower” made an appearance, “Crush With Eyeliner” in the encore…wow. Considering how absolutely nuts I was the entire show about this, it’s a shocker I remember as much as I do even today. Hard to believe it was 10 years ago…

1) Tweeter Center, Mansfield MA, 5 October 2003 (initial reaction): Not only was this a stellar setlist, but we had second row seats for this one, which was incredible in itself. Nothing bad about this concert at all, plus the added bonus of my catching Michael Stipe’s harmonica following his, uh, “solo” on “Bad Day.” Awesome, awesome experience all around.

Only one week until show #6! I could pee myself!