R.E.M. didn’t release its first recording, the Chronic Town EP, until 1982. But the band played several shows in the year and a half leading up to the Chronic Town release, including a set at Atlanta’s 688 Club opening for Joe “King” Carrasco. That show has just been premiered on Slicing Up Eyeballs with help from Wuxtry—the record store where Peter Buck worked and where he met Michael Stipe—which is finally releasing much of its archival Athens footage from the ’80s. The 38-minute, 13-song set from either February 20 or 21, 1981 showcases the early stages of the band’s development, including a cover of “Rave On,” a show-closing performance of “Radio Free Europe,” and an unsurprisingly energetic Stipe. Check out the full set list below.
1. “Rave On”
2. “Burning Down”
3. “Dangerous Times”
4. “I Don’t Want You Anymore”
5. “Get On Their Way”
6. “Different Girl”
7. “Permanent Vacation”
8. “White Tornado”
9. “Narrator”
10. “Wind Out”
11. “Gardening At Night”
12. “Mystery To Me”
13. “Radio Free Europe”