As such, and the band still relatively tight from having recently come off an European tour, the band wasn't as sloppily loose as sets from this era could be. This set was a one-off arranged for MTV, for their "Rock Influences: Folk Rock" episode. While there are rarer sets than today's feature, or more interesting from a setlist or performance perspective, there are - in my humble opinion - no greater-sounding sets than the band's one-off (for MTV) gig Jat the Capital Theatre, Passaic, New Jersey. I guess one would place, from a pure sonic perspective, the JAragon Ballroom, Chicago (Brawlroom as we lovingly/hatingly referred to it, my relationship with that venue tends more to the hate side than love, but that's a story for another day) - as released on the Reckoning Deluxe Edition - at the top of the heap, with the others ranked against it as the baseline. Of late I've been studiously evaluating my catalog of '84 soundboard recordings. So depending on my mood and mental place I'll either reach for an '84 soundboard, or one of the many '85 gigs. The difference is there, though - any of the band's pre-Fables material, when played on the Reconstruction tour, does sound markedly different in terms of guitar sonics. I'm not sure if Peter Buck changed his rig between tours, but the 1984 sets feature that signature jangle crunch, perhaps at its finest, while 1985 saw Buck's tone gain a fair bit of range (it sounds like he discovered chorus pedals, that is). On the other, in 1985 what they lose of that garage sense is made up for by increased mysticism and atmosphere. On the one hand, in 1984 they are, at the base, still the garage band of their pre-I.R.S. and depending on the day (and my mood) it'll vacillate between their 1984 (Little America) and 1985 (Reconstruction) tours. 9 June 1984 Passaic, NJ SBD - analogloyalist masterĪsk me what my favorite live era is for R.E.M.
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