I was never lucky enough to see R.E.M. live back in the day, but I've heard/seen a number of bootleg shows from this period, and I can honestly say that their 1984 "Little America" tour in support of Reckoning generated some of the greatest live bootlegs in my collection. I could never imagine having to play over 200 shows a year, much less being able to do so while all the while retaining my enthusiasm for the songs and my ability to play them as well as R.E.M. did. That fact alone shows that R.E.M. truly was one of the greatest live bands to ever play during their prime. The shows included with the deluxe editions of Murmur and Reckoning are only the tip of the iceberg. This band was something truly special.
I was never lucky enough to see R.E.M. live back in the day, but I've heard/seen a number of bootleg shows from this period, and I can honestly say that their 1984 "Little America" tour in support of Reckoning generated some of the greatest live bootlegs in my collection. I could never imagine having to play over 200 shows a year, much less being able to do so while all the while retaining my enthusiasm for the songs and my ability to play them as well as R.E.M. did. That fact alone shows that R.E.M. truly was one of the greatest live bands to ever play during their prime. The shows included with the deluxe editions of Murmur and Reckoning are only the tip of the iceberg. This band was something truly special.