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John Aizlewood's rating
Reader rating
Description: Michael Stipe and his acclaimed band celebrate the release of their new album, Accelerate.
Phone: 0207589 8212
Website: www.royalalberthall.com
Trains: Tube: High Street Kensington 
, Tube / Bus: 9, 10, 52, 360 
Extra info: Pub, Food
These are strange times for R.E.M. Their American audience has deserted them and while Europe has proved so loyal they play stadiums from Bergen to Berlin this summer - including Twickenham on 30 August - the nagging feeling remains that they have spent the 21st century trying to recapture the commercial and artistic glories of their masterpieces, Out Of Time and Automatic For The People.
This was ostensibly a celebration of the ICA's 60th birthday, although both institute and its anniversary passed without mention. So ring-rusty that singer Michael Stipe - distinctly dapper in suit and tie - was using an autocue, the threesome were in jovial form from the moment Stipe joked that "it's a great honour to play Wembley for the seventh night in a row". They had also succumbed to the tragic disease which affects all rockers eventually: plug-the-new-album-itis.
This meant nine of the new album Accelerate's 11 tracks were unfurled in a set of only 16 songs. Alas, Accelerate is not released until next week so few present had actually heard, let alone learned to love, the new material, hence a rather flat atmosphere, until Peter Buck - otherwise on lead guitar and red wine - hauled out his mandolin for Losing My Religion, during which Mike Mills - bass, keyboards and red wine - took a walkabout into the crowd.
Such is the goodwill and wishful thinking banked by their golden years that each new R.E.M. album is hailed as a return to form irrespective of its actual worth. Accelerate certainly has is moments and the threesome - still more a collection of individuals than a band - revelled in not having to roll out most of their hits yet again. In fact, they soared: Supernatural Superserious and Houston possessed a surprisingly powerful emotional thump; I'm Gonna DJ was brave and exhilarating, despite its naff title; and Living Well's The Best Revenge and Mansized Wreath kicked what even the genteel Stipe probably refers to as "ass".
Imitation Of Life and the ever-magical Man On The Moon sent everyone home happy, if not wholly unperplexed.
Before the main attraction, occasional R.E.M. arranger John Paul Jones joined R.E.M. inspiration Robyn Hitchcock for 30 minutes of charming English whimsy in contrast to Jones's last London appearance with Led Zeppelin at the 02.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
It was a magical evening and the new album has such amazing lyrics and music - as always. I was overwhelmed. I think a lot of fans were a little disappointed that R.E.M were only on the stage for an hour and they'd travelled a long way and had to pay more for their tickets than they should have. (But I couldn't complain because I had a wonderful day at the I.C.A and managed to get a ticket to see him in his interview!)
- June, Lincolnshire
I left the RAH on Monday feeling elated. Any long standing R.E.M. fan will be ecstatic about the sound and vibe of the new songs and will have no issue with having had a sneak preview in this most amazing of venues. I saw no disappointment in the crowd, only love and respect, even if the formality of the venue didn't totally suit the band perhaps. Make no mistake, Accelerate is one of the albums of 2008 and possibly the greatest comeback this century (barring Led Zep at the O2 maybe)!
- Jonathan Hack, Leicester
The R.E.M band is one of my favourite bands. How could we neglect the smoothness found in their music. The band has its own style and its audience. And I’m one of thousands of people who love this band’s style. And this is remarkable in their concerts where it becomes so hard to get a ticket and prices become so high.
- Alicia, Los Angeles
I tried to add a review but just got the poxy codes which I entered 12 times. What a waste of my time!
- Ian, Aylesbury
The biggest disappointment of the night was that it all ended so soon. OK, so you can't blame REM or, I suspect, their record company for taking advantage of this opportunity to plug the new album on national radio. But, like many, I felt a bit empty after this performance.
Fortunately, I had managed to get hold of a copy of the new album beforehand so I had just about familiarised myself with the new songs. Though this material stood up well to the test of a live show, you felt a bit let down by a set of around an hour and a quarter with only a sprinkling of greatest hits. This was, after all, billed as an REM show rather than a charity show featuring REM.
However, this experience has certainly whet my appetite for REM as a live band and I look forward to a 2 hour epic at Twickenham in the Summer.
- Nick Craythorne, Burntwood, UK
