The following is a listing of
R.E.M. tours.
1981
Rapid.Eye.Movement.Tour.1981
R.E.M. traveled extensively, mostly around the
Deep South
The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion in the Southern United States. The term was first used to describe the states most dependent on plantations and slavery prior to the American Civil War. Following the war ...
, during their first few years of being a unit. Their first real, albeit relatively local, tour took place in 1981. Mistakenly nicknamed "Rapid.Eye.Movement.Tour.1981" by the band's manager at the time,
Jefferson Holt
Jefferson Holt is the founder of Daniel 13 Press and manager of rock band R.E.M. from 1981 to 1996.
Under the name Vibrating Egg, Holt recorded a five-song EP on his label Dog Gone Records that included R.E.M.'s Mike Mills on bass.
In 1996, Holt ...
, the tour was arranged by
Bill Berry
William Thomas Berry (born July 31, 1958) is an American musician who was the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. Although best known for his economical drumming style, Berry also played other instruments, including guitar, bass guitar ...
, and its main aim was to help raise the necessary funds to keep the band operating. The tour was in support of their "
Radio Free Europe" single, which was to be released on David Hibbert's
Hib-Tone label in July 1981.
The tour began on March 26, 1981 at K. O. Jam's in
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 152,769 according to the 2020 census, up from 108,755 residents certified in 2010. Murfreesboro is located in the Nashville metropol ...
.
[R.E.M. timeline at Online Athens]
/ref>
Setlist
The typical setlist for the tour consisted of:
# " Rave On!" ( Sonny West cover)
# "Burning Down"
# "A Girl Like You" ( The Young Rascals cover)
# "Get on Their Way"
# "There She Goes Again
"There She Goes Again" is a song by American rock band the Velvet Underground. It first appeared on their debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' (1967). The syncopated guitar riff is taken from the 1962 Marvin Gaye song "Hitch Hike ...
" ( The Velvet Underground cover)
# "