It’s fitting that R.E.M. played South by the Southwest 2008’s first big show, last night at the venerable Stubb’s. After all, the veteran group pretty much invented indie-rock in the early ‘80s, back when it was called “college rock.” Along with Husker Du, the Replacements, the Minutemen, Black Flag, and a handful of other bands, R.E.M. shaped an entire generation through their music. No matter that they haven’t released a decent record in more than a decade — the band is an indie-rock institution, and the packed house was there to pay tribute to three guys who, more or less, helped define what SXSW is all about. …
This article appears in Mar 12-18, 2008.