A longtime R.E.M. fan, I wore out my VHS copy of Tourfilm, which featured the band touring their Green album. I did the same with a cassette bootleg from the same era. After seeing the band soundcheck the ’dome in 2005, it’s no surprise that R.E.M. Live has a lot to live up to.

The recording quality is excellent and, luckily, the band, while tight-lipped, isn’t afraid to dig into the back catalogue. They may indulge in their worst song ever (I’m Gonna DJ” doesn’t work on any level), but they also offer up fan faves like “The One I Love” and “Cuyahoga.” As a concert film, the tandem DVD is no less impressive. Edited with ADD abandon, it looks great, but it suffers from the same shortcomings that even the best live DVDs face — there is just no substitute for being there.