September 1, 2008 10:56

REM big up Barack Obama at massive London show

US rock giants play career-spanning set at Twickenham

REM got political as they completed the UK leg of their European tour with a massive show at London's Twickenham Stadium on Saturday night (August 30).

The band, who have never hidden their dislike of incumbent US President George W Bush, bigged up Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama before playing 'Ignoreland', the 1992 track from the group's 'Automatic For The People' album, which poured scorn on the Republican government led by the current president's father.

Stipe said from the stage: "We hate our President. I feel that this year will see a change - getting the Bush administration the fuck out of office and the Obama administration the fuck into office." They then showed Obama's image on screens either side of the stage.

The set was full of other politically-charged songs, stretching over the band's 28-year career including 'Exhuming McCarthy' from 1987's 'Document', 'These Days' from 1986 LP 'Lifes Rich Pageant', 'Orange Crush' from 1988's 'Green' and 'Man-Sized Wreath', one of six tracks performed from recent album 'Accelerate'.

There was a surprise for fans in the encore as REM gave a rare performance of 'Perfect Circle', which appears on the band's 1983 debut album 'Murmur'.

REM played:

'Living Well Is The Best Revenge'
'These Days'
'The Wake-Up Bomb'
'What's The Frequency, Kenneth?'
'Drive'
'Man-Sized Wreath'
'Disturbance At The Heron House'
'Ignoreland'
'Walk Unafraid'
'Hollow Man'
'Fall On Me'
'Electrolite'
'The Great Beyond'
'I'm Gonna DJ'
'Exhuming McCarthy'
'The One I Love'
'I've Been High'
'Let Me In'
'Horse To Water'
'Bad Day'
'Orange Crush'
'Imitation Of Life'
'Supernatural Superserious'
'Losing My Religion'
'Perfect Circle'
'Country Feedback'
'It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)'
'Man On The Moon'