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REVEAL PROMO TOUR POSTCARD

R.E.M.'s manager Bertis Downs has posted a report on the Reveal promotional tour so far at the bands official web site remhq.com. The articles are shown below

The promotional tour is on full flight now -- no more being squired around London for days on end doing various television shows -- this is the heavy lifting part, with a different city every couple of days, not nearly enough sleep or time to enjoy where we are, but something new and different to keep things more than interesting from moment to moment. For me, with the telephone as my instrument, the time difference with home is tough, but hey, that's why they call it work.

So far, each place has been a great deal of fun for all -- the "shows," have varied from hour + sets (Radio Inter in France and Sonic for MTV Italy) to 2 songs live vocal to track (Musica, Si! in Spain), with obvious highlights like the Mandela grandness at Trafalgar Square in London and the Adriano Celentano surreality of Milan. Last night the band played a short set for Spanish radio (live on Cadena 40) and television (airing on Lo Mas 40) and about 50 guests (drawn from R.E.M. fan clubbers and radio winners). Each night the new songs they are performing seem to fit snugly alongside the timeless classics like "Religion" and "Man On the Moon" -- last night was no exception. To my ears, "She Just Wants to Be" had an intensity right there with old favorites "Kenneth" and "Turn You Inside Out" on the good nights. Another notable feature of last night's set was the inclusion of "Cuyahoga" and "Find the River," both of which are delicate songs rarely performed but often wished for.

Maybe the guys are readying themselves for the BigFreeOutdoorRawkShowExtravaganza this weekend in Cologne. They will play in front of one of Europe's grand old cathedrals the Kolner Dom, in the public square called Roncalliplatz. The show will be webcast by Planet Internet and broadcast live around the world (tape delayed in some time zones) by MTV Europe as well as countless radio outlets. Should be some fun and excitement, and people from all around Europe seem to be coming in for it. The setting in Cologne in addition to the obvious aesthetic appeal is also just right in another way. It is the city we all spent an unexpected 10 days in 1995 while Mike recovered from emergency surgery -- operation #2 of that long tour (but hey, who's counting?!) So it will be a nice return for all of us this weekend, especially Mike. Tune in -- the guys have never sounded better than the past couple of weeks.

Next week will find us regrouped in (mainly) New York for the release of Reveal, with a side trip to Toronto for another BigFreeOutdoor(Noontime)RawkShowExtravaganza. The guys will be busy in NYC, with Reveal Day (Tuesday) appearances on Late Night with David Letterman, some radio activities, and a few other things being firmed up (I hope) in the days ahead. Then we are off for the long flights and worthwhile endeavors that await us in Tokyo, Sydney and Melbourne. Like I said, every day is different, and in a few more, Reveal will finally be upon us.

Well the show was memorable to say the least --unlike anything we had ever done before, and between the setting, the people, the band, the music, even the weather, it was as close to perfect as we ever would hope for. I guess any attempt to describe the night would have to begin with the setting - the stage was just off to the side of the Dom, one of Europe's oldest and largest cathedrals -- its massiveness and verticality dominates the city from miles away, even more so from a few feet. The people started getting in position early and were surprised to have a soundcheck crowd of several thousand at 3 in the afternoon. Then when we re-arrived at 7:30, everywhere you could look was packed with people -- all down the side streets, other squares nearby, one of which had a seventy foot screen to view the show, people on tops of buildings, leaning out of parking decks,-- in truth it felt more than a little scary, but the mood and atmosphere was definitely one of peace and conviviality and enjoyment. The opening band Seeed (with 3 e's) is a German ska band that we really enjoyed -- they reminded me of the Specials and The Beat from the early days. It was just getting dark when R.E.M. went onstage and cranked into the Great Beyond, then Kenneth, on to Reno and they were off... and from the first notes it was a show high on intensity and energy-- it had to be with that crowd and that place and the breezy dark night in the middle of a great city. An hour and a half later, when the show had ended after a stunning set of R.E.M. music and we got no reports of any problems of safety, etc., we all felt so relieved and happy and ebullient. My favorite song of the night was Imitation of Life, partly because I just like it anyway, but also the way all those arms went up in the air immediately as if it was one of the classics-- hey maybe it is. My favorite moment was looking up about halfway up the 400 foot high cathedral and seeing a dozen or so people standing safely by all appearances on a ledge taking it all in (someone later disputed the Vatican emissary theory with an alternative explanation that they had hidden in the church after closing, only to secure the ultimate vantage point from which to watch a special event unfold-- whatever, it was amazing and if Dominic got it on film we will post it on the site) Another nice moment was afterwards talking to people who were there from Portugal, Bulgaria, Israel, Greece, Norway, Latvia... Anyway, it was fun, different, safe, powerful and free -- not a bad combination. Can't wait to see the tapes.

As I sit here on this interminable flight home for a minute, I think to myself, hmmh, for a band that isn't touring this year, we sure are having a lot of career live moments these recent days--Rio and Buenos Aires in January, the European appearances, including last night's show and Trafalgar Square a couple of weeks ago. Glad for the moments and glad this is my final report from the road before the record is out. Finally, REVEAL is here.

Wearily yours, Bertis.

Source: remhq

By Craig - 21st May 2001

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