Pop with attitude

(Morning Star, Saturday 25 June 2005)

LIVE: REM, Balloch Castle Country Park

KIRSTIE MAY catches a snapshop of REM's glorious pop career at an impressive gig in the leafy surrounds of Balloch Castle.

The view of majestic Loch Lomond, the leafy grounds of Balloch Castle, the still summer air - none of this eases the pain of being surrounded by thousands of braying, drunken Scotsmen.

By late afternoon, the stage has already played host to Ambulance Ltd and Aberfeldy, but it's with Liverpool's The Zutons that the onstage festivities really begin.

The Scouse saxophonic septet truly enjoy themselves, but, in the crowd, there are the same listless faces, continuing through Feeder, officially rock's best support act.

The trio give thanks for the honour of playing with practically every other band here today and at the next week's Live 8 concert and probably in your back garden if such a thing came to pass.

Straight-faced Grant Nicholas is hardly inspirational, but the sight of the floppy-fringed frontman waving a Scottish Saltire flag - a St Andrews cross to you Sassenachs - shouting "respect" really is better entertainment than a weekend with Johnny Vegas and Jimmy Carr.

One can only assume that Nicholas is attempting to secure himself safe passage home as an English interloper.

The hits are here, oh yes - there's the sad one about their lost drummer, the shouty one about a CD player and the great jump-up-and-down-and-go-mad one to finish.

But they may as well have been on for two minutes for all the attention that they're afforded.

This feelgood fest of the summer only well and truly gets underway when a bald 40-something with facepaint like a Batman baddie comes haring onstage.
REM are the reason for this impressionable gathering and impress they do, bursting onto the stage with an explosive I Took Your Name.

Against a backdrop of suspended multicoloured fluorescent tubes, singer Michael Stipe becomes the rock icon and begins throwing shapes in the air like his life depends upon it.

Recent pop chart hit Bad Day gives an opportunity for the casual observer to get involved, while What's the Frequency, Kenneth? - the first single off the band's 1994 career-threatening album Monster - raises the energy level even further.

After the previous albums' moaning and mandolins, Monster was ultimately a fortuitous foray into rock and the strength of the band onstage tonight is that they seem to know the debt that they owe to that change in tempo and attitude.

There are older hits here too and older fans to appreciate them.

The One I Love unites many in song, as does dirgey Drive and the anthemic Everybody Hurts, both culled from multimillion-selling albatross Automatic For The People and both appreciated.

Tracks off new album Around The Sun stand up well, though, with new single Wanderlust being dedicated to Aberfeldy and recent top pop hit single Leaving New York - which Stipe refers to as his favourite city - striking a strangely calm balance with the crowd.

Stipe is in his element here and it shows. His delight at being unleashed on the public is second only to his rambunctious attitude.

After a request for all bottle-throwing to cease is defied, Stipe levels his gaze on the offender. "That includes you, asshole." The New York character has certainly rubbed off on this native of Athens, Georgia, and the spirit and sheer spunk on show here warms the heart.

Closing with Losing My Religion seems spot on in the dusk and an encore comprising Imitation of Life, Find the River and Man on the Moon among others is a snapshot of the career of this phenomenal band.

The only thing stopping REM from beating U2 at being the biggest band in the world at the moment is their integrity and, for that reason alone, long may Stipe reign.