Automatic

As promotional gigs go, this must be among the most glamorous on record. Seriously, how many bands could briefly jaunt round the world to chat to radio and TV stations, and pop into the Albert Hall for a one off show along the way?

No record out yet, no UK visit for 3 years, and London’s grandest venue for a one night only preview show. This is massive. After the partly excellent but mostly poorly received Around The Sun, many doubters wrote R.E.M. off as a spent force - too sappy and politically charged for the record buying mainstream.

Of course, they have other ideas, as they have had a dozen times already in their 28 year career - tonight they are promoting forthcoming album Accelerate, which according to those who have had the privilege of an early listen, will reaffirm the band’s status among the rock world’s upper echelons. We’ll see. The palpable anticipation within the venue suggests no different; this is a band with a following as loyal as any other, almost desperate to hear these much lauded new songs.

Before the main event, the formalities must of course be completed.

Tonight’s show is being billed as a celebration of 60 years of London’s ICA, and a reasonably stellar support cast has gathered. First up, new art-rock darlings Foals spend 30 minutes failing to fill the opulent venue with their somewhat over-jaunty, sub Bloc Party, angular musings. Not a hugely impressive start.

Next up, The Duke Spirit, a band whose album I reviewed for this website some months ago, and who I had only moderate time for. But their live show brings the album to life in style - very sexy lead singer, great musicians, and a lively sound which didn’t appear to be there on record. Better than expected.

Final support act Robyn Hitchcock is not what you might call a crowd pleaser. A legend within his field (which is mostly folky guitar), he arrives on stage coupled with one of rock’s biggest heroes John Paul Jones, and proceeds to strum a succession of nursery rhymes for half an hour.