Vic Chesnutt, Kimya Dawson, R.E.M. Rock R.E.M. Tribute Show

Last night’s R.E.M. tribute concert at Carnegie Hall was such an occasion. Twenty-one songs were performed (though none from after 1998’s Up), Vic Chesnutt warbled “Everybody Hurts,” and R.E.M. themselves showed up, to play “E-Bow The Letter” with Patti Smith.

Some gigs you just scratch your head and say, “why didn’t I go to that?”

Last night’s R.E.M. tribute concert at Carnegie Hall was such an occasion. Twenty-one songs were performed (though only one from after 1998’s Up), Vic Chesnutt warbled “Everybody Hurts,” and R.E.M. themselves showed up, to play “E-Bow The Letter” with Patti Smith.

Arizona indie-rockers Calexico served as a house band of sorts, backing up everyone from Darius Rucker to Marshall Crenshaw. Rhett Miller, of the Old 97’s, tackled the train-centric “Driver 8,” appropriately. And a new, strange supergroup was formed, as Jolie Holland was joined by TV on the Radio’s Kyp Malone to handle “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville.”

Next year, I’m totally going.

The full set list (via Billboard):

“Fall On Me” (the dB’s)
“The Apologist” (Fink)
“Man on the Moon” (Keren Ann with Calexico)
“Wendell Gee” (Calexico)
“The Great Beyond” (Rachael Yamagata with Calexico)
“Sitting Still” (Bob Mould with Calexico)
“Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)” (The Feelies)
“Nightswimming” (Ingrid Michaelson)
“Hairshirt” (Glen Hansard)
“South Central Rain” (Apples in Stereo)
“Shaking Through” (Guster)
“Supernatural Superserious” (Marshall Crenshaw with Calexico)
“Driver 8” (Rhett Miller with Calexico)
“World Leader Pretend” (Kimya Dawson)
“Everybody Hurts” (Vic Chesnutt with Elf Power)
“Perfect Circles” (Kristin Hersh and the Throwing Muses)
“At My Most Beautiful” (Dar Williams)
“(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville” (Jolie Holland with Calexico)
“I Believe” (Darius Rucker with Calexico)
“New Test Leper” (Patti Smith)
“E-Bow The Letter” (R.E.M.)