R.E.M. 1985-05-27 Meredith College Raleigh, NC(DVD)

 

R.E.M.
27 May 1985
Meredith College
Raleigh, NC
NC African Relief Concert

Pro-Shot video
NTSC DVD

Lineage:
Pro-Shot videotape > VHS (2nd generation) > Dazzle DV bridge: analog to digital conversion >
Final Cut Express editing > iDVD (NTSC) with menus > VIDEO_TS folder + cover art > you

01.  7 Chinese Bros. (4:36)
02.  Hyena (3:02)
03.  Good Advices (3:32)
04.  Talk About The Passion (3:22)
05.  Driver 8 (3:40)
06.  Can't Get There From Here  (3:39)
07.  Maps And Legends (3:19)
08.  So. Central Rain (3:52)
09.  Auctioneer (Another Engine) (2:43)
10.  Old Man Kinsey (4:02)
11.  Pretty Persuasion (3:47)
12.  Life And How To Live It (4:01)
13.  Little America (3:26)
14.  Ghost Riders In The Sky (2:11)
15.  Second Guessing (3:06)
16.  (Don't Go Back To) Rockville (4:31)
17.  Wild Thing [with Don Dixon] (3:30)
18.  Theme From Two Steps Onward (4:50)
19.  9-9/Wind Out (4:46)
20.  Gardening At Night (3:54)      

Total = 74:00
      
(Opening songs not captured: Feeling Gravity's Pull,
Harborcoat & Green Grow The Rushes)

Bonus Tracks
01.  Me & Dixon:  Buddha Buddha (3:27)
02.  The Pressure Boys:  Combination (3:16)
03.  The Connells:  Unspoken Words (3:23)

There was a recent request to reseed this show. Although I don’t have the original dime torrent I am responsible for releasing this into the wild 5 years ago.

This show came into my hands over 20 years ago from a friend who was connected to the original source. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Student Television had permission to film the event, which was the NC African Relief Concert. It was held on May 27, 1985 at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina.  I was given a VHS tape copied from the original videotape. The video is Pro-Shot, but of medium quality – a bit grainy.

The tape included the majority of the performance starting at 7 Chinese Bros. & continuing to the show’s conclusion. Three opening songs were not captured: Feeling Gravity's Pull, Harborcoat & Green Grow The Rushes.
Many songs were performed from their third full length LP, Fables Of The Reconstruction, 2 weeks before its June 11, 1985 US release. Early R.E.M. producer Don Dixon appears for Wild Thing. The band also plays Theme From Two Steps Onward, which was rarely performed.

Bonus tracks include 3 songs from other artists who appeared that day –
Me & Dixon: “Buddha Buddha,” Pressure Boys: “Combination,” & The Connells: “Unspoken Words.” I do not have any other video from that day. Other artists on the bill were Xenon & The Bill Lyerly Band.

In 2004 I converted the tape to digital & cleaned up the audio as best I could with Final Cut Express from what was a very muddy C- recording to B/B+ acceptable sound quality.  At that point in time the show made its rounds amongst REM collectors.

I was a witness to this show amongst a crowd of likely less than 1000. This is a cool snapshot of a fine band still in its infancy. Enjoy!

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