(Music/Politics) REM Concert with a side of Kerry...

Alright, I'd originally delayed this blog in hopes of making all the song titles into direct links to their respective lyrics, but with the recentness of Around the Sun and the general ad-ridden quality of most Lyric sites, that idea has been scrapped.

That aside, the concert was fabulous. There's something really nice about knowing a band well (in terms of characteristics "We are REM and we approve of this concert", "That's Paul, he's Mike, and I'm Michael. We are REM and this is what we do.") and liking all their songs, just an over all good concert.

After a very nice opening by a Michael Stipe favored group, Now It's Overhead, the concert got underway.

Song List
Get Up: David and my father had a gentlemen's bet riding on what song would open the concert, one would've thought that the second song would be a good strating point but REM rarely does it that way.
Begin the Begin:
These Days:
Animal: Really easy to sing along with song, good contributor to the loss of my voice this concert.
Boy in the Well: New song off of Around the Sun

Songs about Trains
Driver 8: Another sing along for me, I really love this one.
Hi Speed Train: Another new song, really different feel to it, but I like it.


South Central Rain: This is one of those songs that I never can remember the title to.

The Political Set- They opened this set of 4 off by pointing out their support against Bush including their part in the Rock the Vote tour. This was met by a wave of Yay's followed by a wave of Boo's (That's Georgia Republicans for you). On the record I was among the Yay's, cause REM's good and I had a inkling of what songs were going to be played.
The Outsiders: Another one off of Around the Sun, very fun song even if you don't want to look at the political ramifications of it.
Bad Day: The Song. I sang along here as well. This song is among the creme de la creme of REM songs in my opinion. If you do happen to check the lyrics. In place of "...not one more time." they sang "...not four more years!" just for the record.
Wanted to be Wrong: New song. For the entire concert they had incandescent tubes of light hung vertically behind them | | | which were usually a color (or pair of colors) either alternated or just left static. For this song, each tube was Red, White, and Blue.
Drive

That was all of the political quartet of songs, they got back to some regular REMing after that.
Imitation of Life: #1 Hit REM song in Japan
The One I Love: A very nice song as well.

Though it wasn't hailed as such, I do think this qualifies as another Polical Song in REM's songbook.
Final Straw: A new song, fantastically well done.

This was the quinessential ending trio of songs, for every concert thus far on the concert tour.
Losing my Religion: You see the mandolin, there's no question what song it's going to be.
Walk Unafraid: Personal Anthem, this is the source of my, and David's, Senior quotes. Also a sing along.
Life and How to Live It: A older, but still greatly fun song.

The Encore-Note that this was accompanied by Michael Stipe wearing a pro-Kerry T-shirt and some more political commentary (this time focused on voting, regardless of "which side you butter your bread on").

Nightswimming: This was a special hometown treat. At all the other concerts before Atlanta the Encore was 5 songs, specifically the 5 that followed this one. This is a wonderful song, done in a small group, namely Mike and Micheal along with a celloist and a obeoist they pulled out of somewhere.
What's the Frequency Kenneth: A very classic REM song, ranks alongside Radio Free Europe, Losing my Religion, and Nightswimming. Speaking of Radio Free Europe, after the political set, someone in the audience reportedly yelled at Michael Stipe to "Sing Radio Free Europe and save your ass" to which Mr. Stipe coridially replied that he would play what songs he wanted.
Leaving New York: Leading song off of Around the Sun, very very nice.
Something old and something new...- The Oldest and Newest REM songs paired back to back.
Permanent Vacation: Ancient song, incredibly fun.
I'm gonna DJ: First song to be heard off the upcoming album, sounds like it's going to be a good disc to buy as well.
Man on the Moon: An interesting song to choose for the finale in my opinion, but a good one anyways.

REM knowledgable people will immediately note the conspicuous absence of End of the World, but I'm gonna DJ has the world ending reference to satisfy me, and I got enough vocal cord damage from Bad Day to not need End of the World to finish me off.

(Employment) Well, what can brown do for me?

I returned home from college this Friday in anticipation of working at The UPS Store on Saturday to find that UPS Corporate had sent me a little postcard in the mail informing me of their job opening for Seasonal Driver Helpers. Little details other than the promise of $8.50/hr were included. So, out of benign curiosity, I decided to google said position. Namely a search for UPS Seasonal Driver Helpers and oddly enough I can't seem to find the exact position I was offered in the first place on job listings. One offers $8.00/hr for Seasonal Delivery Driver Helpers, another (in Louisville, Kentucky) offers $11.75/hr for a job with the exact same name and description as well as $8.50/hr for a job with UPS Worldwide sorting package from ~11:30 PM to 3:00 or 4:00 AM. All of this news notwithstanding, since I'm certain it's mostly price fluctuations based on locality and need therein I begin to wonder what prompted UPS to send me such a note (and how they found me in the first place) because with all the facts considered, they're practically offering me a job in lieu of a job with a subsidiary of themselves, and that doesn't really seem like the most brillant of plans. Either way, riding around in a truck for 12 hours a day with a man who's most likely a smoker (and has all the more reason now that he's got someone else to do the walking) is not my idea of a Seasonal Job, especially because I don't think I'd even get a chair.