The title of the old Elton John song was redeployed by Michael Stipe of R.E.M. at the Mann on Wednesday to describe what happens when you have "an ice tea, and a flask in your back pocket. A girl on one arm, and a guy on the other. Philadelphia freedom." Whatever works for you. As a frontman, and as a songwriter, what works for the suit-and-tie wearing Stipe is operating like an old fashioned burlesque dancer. He knows the power of leaving a little something to the imagination.
And, oh yeah, besides focusing on the revitalized Accelerate, Stipe brought out Eddie Vedder, whose band Pearl Jam is playing in Camden tonight, for Fables of the Reconstruction's "Begin the Begin." And Johnny Marr, who used to be in The Smiths and now plays in Modest Mouse, joined Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey on guitar for "Fall On Me," and stuck around for "Man On The Moon." It was a regular '80s and early '90s alt-rock dance party. Sam Adams' review is here. A video for "Hollow Man" is below.
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