I saw them live in both 1983 and 1984, I knew immediately this couldn't be from 1983 and most likely was from 1984 or perhaps 85. In 1983 they had a great goofy experimental energy which made the high-energy songs fun but they couldn't yet create the atmosphere to put across songs like this. By 84 they had nailed it, the vocals and three instruments were all playing off each other perfectly to create just the right mood. Thanks for the upload, fantastic perfrormance that epitomizes their 1984-85 shows which, to me, were probably their best.
The REM Timeline says... 20 November 1984 - "The Whistle Test" (TV), Studio 5, BBC Television Centre, London, England Other acts performing: The Fall / The Kinks / Edwin Starr / Little Feet Set: Moon River / Pretty Persuasion / Old Man Kensey
Back in late 84 or early 85, I taped a radio show called R.E.M. live in Nottingham, which was a BBC produced program. I must have listened to that tape a thousand times, as I was such a huge fan of R.E.M.'s back in the 80's. I recognized this performance as being the same one that was aired way back then. It brought back alot of weird old memories, and I still have that worn out old cassette! Thanks for posting! Do you have the rest of the R.E.M. BBC live set? Is the video available??
