REM at Manchester Arena

RECORD sales may not be what they used to be but, as a live act, REM are probably just as good now as they have ever been.

Touring for the first time since the sickness-plagued Monster tour four years ago, this time they are cautiously playing fewer dates.

They're also without drummer Bill Berry, the biggest casualty of the last tour. He's been replaced by Beck's drummer Joey Waronker.

Airport Man opened the set and was swiftly followed by Lotus, which won the crowd over immediately.

Michael Stipe, with his zany footwork, was clearly king of the stage. He might not say much but he doesn't need to because the songs say everything.

Of the other two permanent fixtures, Mike Mills held down the rhythm perfectly on bass, while the towering Peter Buck surprised everyone with high-kicks and spins, something not seen since the Fables tour of 1985.

Masters of re-invention, REM remain one of the world's most inspiring and respected rock bands. That's why soul-searching classics like Suspicion and Daysleeper don't sound out of place alongside rockier numbers like Star 69, What's The Frequency Kenneth? and The One I Love.

REM simply take an absorbing hold of you. They're an enigma which continues growing from strength to strength and we should all be thankful.

JAMES SCANLON

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.