R.E.M. 1999

[CardiffWanderer]

I've been listening to this gig on R.E.M. At The BBC. Sounds fantastic and features many of my favourites. Who was there and was it as good as it sounds? 

[PassingCloud]

I was there. Can’t remember. 

[Johnnyseven]

I was there too, like Passing Cloud I don't remember much about it tbh. Pretty sure they were good though, I tend to remember the sets that weren't good, like Primal Scream in 1998.

[Neil]

53 minutes ago, CardiffWanderer said:

I've been listening to this gig on R.E.M. At The BBC. Sounds fantastic and features many of my favourites. Who was there and was it as good as it sounds? 

I was at glasto, don't remember seeing them.did see them at t in the park.my memory is them going through the motions.

[ticketboy69]

I wasn’t there in 1999, but saw them in 2003 on the Pyramid. Thought they were amazing…at the time I wasn’t a fan but knew the obvious stuff, seeing them at Glastonbury made me appreciate what a great band they were. Michael Stipe was a brilliant front man and owned the Pyramid that night. 

[Tipi Man]

I went to the 1999 festival and REM along with Hole both fantastic. One of the best live performances I have ever seen. You can catch it on YouTube. The encore is epic. Only Rage Against the Machine beats this performance and that was Glastonbury 1994. 

[deadstillstanding]

I was there and it was amazing. Easily one of the best gigs I have ever seen. It still stands out in my memory to this day. They were totally on top of their game, great energy throughout, the crowd were really tuned in, big singalongs, the works.

The only downside was the crowding was pretty brutal when everyone attempted to shuffle off at the end of the set (/obligatory extended Its The End Of The World As We Know It encore). Final year before the (Roskilde crush-induced) superfence and REM were still absolutely massive at that point so the field was utterly mobbed. One of those where you're constantly crushed and have no control of where your feet go next. Had to put my 5'2" girlfriend on my shoulders cos it was starting to freak her out. I'm a big guy and crowds don't normally faze me as I can comfortably see over everyone's heads, but I didn't feel safe in that one. I do miss the old pre-fence chaotic energy and the next few years were pretty sterile until it got its mojo back, but it needed to happen.

So, yeah, one of the best and scariest gigs ever. 11/10. Would recommend.

[Superscally]

My first ever big headliner. Was so good. At My Most Beautiful is up there in my favourite musical memories.

[paulshane]

I was there, it was brilliant 🙂

[mario man]

I saw them at Earls Court a few days before the festival, therefore didnt plan on seeing them - I was definitely in the dance tent that eve for the FB/Chems double header but also have a vague memory of seeing some of REM’s set so must have wandered over at some point - it was a heavy day let’s put it that way! 

2003 however I have full recollection of, and loved it, one of my favourite sets. They obviously loved the place having come back so soon and were on incredible form. I had an awesome spot for it as well, just remember the pit was buzzing. After a 4 year break myself, I fell in love with the festival all over again that Friday eve

[CardiffWanderer]

Ah, you're all making me very jealous now! R.E.M. have always been one of my favourite bands, and I'm a bit sad that I only saw them play once, at a slightly off gig in Cardiff (after Around the Sun was released). It would have been amazing to see them play Glastonbury.

[uscore]

I was there.  I have only vague memories of it,  I was fairly close to the front although off to the side.  

Looking at the setlist, I probably only knew about half the songs at the time, but I loved it nonetheless.  

[-TLR-]

i was there that year but never saw them - i did see them in 2003 however and it was probably one of the best shows i ever saw at the festival.

[-TLR-]

14 minutes ago, -TLR- said:

i was there that year but never saw them - i did see them in 2003 however and it was probably one of the best shows i ever saw at the festival.

just had a look at the lineup and it says Faithless were on the JazzWorld at the same time so that's where i would have been... not that i can really remember...

[Yokel Again]

My favourite band at my favourite festival - didn't see 1999, but did 2003.

Was looking forward to it so much got super drunk and can't remember much about it, apart from moshing from the back to the front during Begin the Begin, and MrsYokel going crowd surfing during End of the World. 

Amazing band. 

2003 was perfect. 

[gigpusher]

Wasn't there but have seen REM live a fair few times. First time was Monster at Milton Keynes Bowl and we had a bootleg CD of the concert that we played to death as well.

[-TLR-]

8 minutes ago, Yokel Again said:

2003 was perfect. 

the friday of 2003 was probably the best single day i've ever had at the festival... and i spent pretty much the whole day at the Pyramid...

The Darkness > inspiral carpets > bunnymen and then back a bit later for suede > david gray > REM

as you say, and i completely agree with you - it was perfect.

[fullfathom5]

Incredible band

[maelzoid]

I was there.

I had been a fan since Green and had never managed to see them until that tour. They barely played UK in the 90s. The only significant tour they did was in '95 and I was away travelling for the entirety of that tour. So '99 was the first opportunity. Saw one of the Earls Court shows and the headline set at Glastonbury. I don't retain much specific memory of it, other than the neon signs they had and generally a feeling that I enjoyed it. My feeling of that whole era is that Up is not a great REM album, and it was a shame I didn't see them with the original line-up.

I saw them once more on the accelerate tour at Rock Werchter and was a bit worse for wear. I think in hindsight, I took those opportunities for granted, assuming I'd always catch them on the next tour...

[fred quimby]

45 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Wasn't there but have seen REM live a fair few times. First time was Monster at Milton Keynes Bowl and we had a bootleg CD of the concert that we played to death as well.

We went to that, not long after getting together.  Went for the first Day which we had tickets for, the blur day.  I then bought us Tickets from a tout to the radiohead day. Did mean we slept in the car. We went in early straight on the barrier and didn't move all day. Wouldn't do that again but both great days.

Saw them in 1999 at the Farm  brilliant gig. Then again in 2003 which was brilliant as well, although Mrs Q was not there that year so was tinged with sadness as well. That was the first year I saw someone in an EL wire suit, dancing through the crowd. My brain took a little while to understand they were real and not just placed there by me

[Punksnotdead]

I was there with a few mates. One of them said the only band he had to see was REM. During the day he over-indulged so in the early evening he said he was going back to the tent for a kip. His last words were "see you back here for REM".

The rest of us watched & loved REM - we assumed mate had been unable to find us in the large crowd. We got back to the tents & mate poked his head out of his tent & said "what time are they on"? He'd slept through the whole thing.

As Del Boy would say - "What a plonker!" 😀

[gigpusher]

15 minutes ago, fred quimby said:

We went to that, not long after getting together.  Went for the first Day which we had tickets for, the blur day.  I then bought us Tickets from a tout to the radiohead day. Did mean we slept in the car. We went in early straight on the barrier and didn't move all day. Wouldn't do that again but both great days.

Saw them in 1999 at the Farm  brilliant gig. Then again in 2003 which was brilliant as well, although Mrs Q was not there that year so was tinged with sadness as well. That was the first year I saw someone in an EL wire suit, dancing through the crowd. My brain took a little while to understand they were real and not just placed there by me

Ah we were there for Radiohead day and it was my first and probably last Valentines present for Mr Gigpusher. We stayed at my brothers in London and missed the last tue home so had to get a very expensive can that we couldn't afford so my brother had to come out and pay the taxi driver. It was all worth it though.

[tevaburger]

Didn't see them in '99 but 2003 was fantastic, one of the truly best Glasto years, and getting REM and Radiohead (who were even better than REM) the next day makes it one of the best lineup years for headliners. Plus Manics were just a few years off from headlining and their Sunday penultimate slot was great as well, as the rain came down. 

'03 my second favorite after '09

Edited June 12, 2023 by tevaburger