Remember When: R.E.M. Performed at Stubb’s BBQ During SXSW 2008 and Nearly Played the Entirety of ‘Accelerate’

On Wednesday, March 12, 2008, R.E.M. appeared at SXSW to perform at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q in Austin, Texas. The 90-minute set for the 2,5000 capactiy crowd showcased the band’s fourteenth, and second-to-final album, Accelerate.

“Good evening, children of South by Southwest,” said Michael Stipe to the Stubb’s crowd. “Come to me.”

With the exception of “Sing for the Submarine,” the band played the entirety of Accelerate opening with “Living Well Is the Best Revenge” and “Man-Sized Wreath,” alogn with “Hollow Man,” “Mr. Richards,” and more.

“We’re gonna play some new songs tonight,” said Stipe. “The good news is that most are under two minutes so if you don’t like one take a pee break and go get another beer.” 

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Throughout the night, the band dug deeper into their catalog with “Second Guessing” from their 1984 album Reckoning, “Auctioneer (Another Engine)” from Fables of the Reconstruction (1985), and “Fall on Me” off Lifes Rich Pageant in ’86.

Before going into “The Great Beyond,” which Stipe said was a choice pick by him for the night, he admitted that the band hadn’t rehearsed the song in years. “Sadly we haven’t rehearsed it in two years,” he said, “but we’re gonna play it anyway.”

Along with “Drive,” more from Automatic for the People made appearances throughout the Stubb’s set, along with New Adventures in Hi-Fi and “Electrolite,” before the band wrapped up on their Up track “Walk Unafraid.”

“I’m going to dedicate the first song to a man who heard the song and loved it, and his name is Heath Ledger,” said Stipe toward the end of the set, dedicating the first of three more politically charged songs, “Until the Day is Done” from Accelerate, to the actor, who died in January 2008.

“Final Straw” from Around the Sun and “Bad Day,” a track orignally written during Ronald Reagan’s presidency and later released on the band’s 2003 compilation In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003, followed the political troika.

After stepping off stage for a short break, they returned for the encore. “Everybody take three deep breaths together,” said Stipe before going into “Supernatural Superserious,” another offering from Accelerate, along with “I’m Gonna DJ.”

R.E.M.’s Reveal track, “Imitation of Life,” also made its way into the encore before the band closed the night with “Man on the Moon.”

Setlist: R.E.M. at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q, March 12, 2008

1. Living Well Is the Best Revenge
2. Man-Sized Wreath
3. Second Guessing
4. Drive
5. Hollow Man
6. Animal
7. Auctioneer (Another Engine)
8. Mr. Richards
9. Fall on Me
10. The Great Beyond
11. Houston
12. Electrolite
13. Accelerate
14. Until the Day Is Done
15. Final Straw
16. Bad Day
17. Horse to Water
18. Walk Unafraid

Encore

1. Supernatural Superserious
2. Imitation of Life
3. I’m Gonna DJ
4. Man on the Moon

Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images