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R M. from page 2 drummer’s rise and didn’t give them an other thought. However, when R.E.M. kicked into “The One I Love,” the lights bled with orange and red hues. I then taught, out of the comer of my eye, a stagehand carrying the flaming bouquet to the back of the stage. Oddly enough, it was when Stipe was wailing “fire.” No one was injured, and it didn’t seem to hurt the evening’s mood. Stipe gave no warning of the next song. He simply stood there and said, “I wish I were 15 years old. I wish I were 15 years old and were dragged here by a person I didn’t really like. I wish I were 15 years old and I had a diluted soft drink. I wish some stranger had seen my in the bathroom and given me something to make that drink a little better.” He wait ed for the crowd’s approving cheers to subside, and he finished his wish list, “and I wish 1 had just heard something that turned my head.” REM. then played “E-Bow the Let ter.” “At My Most Beautiful,” a song pay ing homage to the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, followed “E-Bow” and was love ly. Perhaps the first blatant love song to be written by Stipe, it was a great addi tion to the set list. The fastest and loudest song of the evening was “Star 69.” Stipe, again, was frantically pacing from one side of the stage to the other. Mills set his bass on fire with his performance. After this song, Buck emeiged from the back of the stage with a mandolin strapped around his shoulders. I was cer tain “Losing My Religion” would fol low, and the six drumstick counts by Waronker confirmed my suspicion. The song was a beautiful as ever, with the crowd singing alongside their beloved frontman. Perhaps one of the token songs of the decade, “Losing My Religion” i 1*1 • ■. tr wai a uieam-iiKe cAyeueiicc in iucu. R.E.M. once again paid tribute to Andy Kauffman by playing “Man In The Moon,” and every time Stipe reached a “yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,” he bent over and waved to the crowd. He did a great job with involving the crowd in the show. He made them feel welcome and he made them feel like an important addi tion to the show. Of course, he also put some of the ruder fans in their place. Stipe was shar ing a little anecdote about his grand mother and her tendency to shop at a Piggly Wiggly as opposed to a Winn Dix ie or Kroger, and some fan kept scream ing out a request. Stipe simply looked at the fan and said, “Excuse me, I’m telling a story here.” The point of the anecdote was to mirror R.E.M.’s love for the South, their collective home. Mills affectionately called it “The Pig gly Wiggly Attitude.” “Wtlk Unafraid” followed “Man In The Moon.” This song has some of the most uplifting lyrics written by Stipe, and it more or less was the banner song for “Up” and its tour. As the band left the stage, the neon lights ignited the words “Thank You.” Stipe returned alone to the stage for the encore. With guitar in hand, he took a seat at the front of the stage, and be gan strumming the chords to “Hope.” This was a sight to be recorded in the history books, because it is common knowledge that Stipe has never been gifted with musical talent outside of singing and songwriting. But he held his own in this song, and the crowd helped him along by clapping out the beat for him. Mills then joined Stipe on stage to play “Why Not Smile.” Stipe relinquished the guitar duties to his friend, and he stood close to Mills as he whispered the encouraging words to “Why Not Smile.” At the song’s end, Mills and Stipe shared an affectionate kiss. Buck and the rest of the band resurfaced to the stage to continue with the encore. Buck pounded out the all-familiar chords to “What’s the Frequency Ken neth,” and the rest of the band followed suit. This version was much faster and fueled by emotion and flare. Something intangible was added to the already strong song that night. Stipe then expanded his vocal range for “Tongue,” a song that he said had “tits.” Stipe’s voice did not falter after a long set prior to this song. He held the high notes with a sureness that made the song that much more effective. Stipe then told the crowd that the e_ next song was one of his favorites. The audience agreed when they started play ing “Find the River.” One of the most beautiful songs of R.E.M.’s decorated career, “Find The River” would have been a more-than-sufficient way to close out the evening, but they weren’t dene. Stipe, after talking with the crowd, asked if he was coming off as rude. Some body told him he was being very cute, and he said, “Cute, huh? I can live with cute.” As he lifted his hands to his face in a child-like manner, he said, “I’m one of those Pokemons.” Wironker then vi olently kicked into “It’s The End Of The WirldAsWfe Know It (And I Feel Fine).” Stipe rushed past the lyrics as all the lights were flashing and all the fans were jumping. The intensity level was at its peak when the crowd screamed “Leonard Rpmctpin” alnnorciHp StinP The song then closed out, but Stipe stood next to resident band mem ber Scott McCaughey, and McCaughey whispered something into his ear. He then picked the tune back up, and the rest of the band followed his lead. Stipe began repeating “it’s the end of the world as we know it” as the song built up again. It continued for another two minutes with Stipe repeating “it’s time I had some time alone.” The song ended, and Buck and Stipe exited the stage. Mills and Waronker were feeding off each other in one last exhibition of youthful noisenuiking. Stipe came back out to pull his friends off the stage. Mills walked to the front microphone and thanked the crowd before the lights came on. Muse from page 4 cy hotel suite, food, clothes, car service and Steven’s constant availability, which includes a late-night delivery of Waldorf salad. Getting help from her proves no easier than arranging a meeting with Spielberg. An ingenious (yes, inspired) story on paper, “The Muse” feels like one of those films that was more fun to make than it is to watch. The actors, especially Stone, get a kick from sending up their peers (and themselves), but what they give us is an orgy of inside Hollywood jokes. The biggest laughs come early. After that, outsiders can only look on like so many eunuchs. Brooks sends up Hollywood super stition and, perhaps, his own reputation. The self-destructive whiners he played in “Modem Romance” and “Lost in America” are slightly better adjust ed, and slightly less edgy, in “Defend ing Your Life” and “Mother.” The old Albert Brooks dreamed big and ended up where he started. The new Albert Brooks gets wise and moves on. Some of that “edge” is back in “The Muse,” but the movie is still pretty soft compared with Brooks’ earlier work and to such Hollywood satires as “The Play er” and Steve Martin’s “Bowfinger.” “The Muse” is an intelligent, un demanding comedy. Maybe this was the message all along: In Hollywood, even the gods are just too laid-back. An October Films release, “The Muse” was directed by Brooks and co written by Brooks and Monica Johnson. Herb Nanas was the producer. The film runs 97 minutes and is rated PG-13, with adult situations and the briefest of nude scenes, featuring the famously R-rated Ms. Stone. Bacon from page 4 lease of a new film that is the most stress ful, he said. There are the interviews, the buzz and opening weekend box-of fice numbers to worry about. However, Bacon won’t read the re views — at least not of his own work. He stopped about 10 years ago, saying he wasn’t getting any constructive sug gestions. Several years ago, Bacon and his brother Michael formed the Bacon Brothers. The inspiration for the band’s songs are often real-life events, explained Bacon, dressed in a black button-down shirt with jeans and looking younger than his 41 years. “Since I’ve been an actor, I have done a million interviews and profiles fbr magazines, and while I try to be hon est about my feelings about things, 1 think the most revealing thing I’ve ever done is the lyrics of a song.” “Getting There” is the Bacon Broth ers’ new CD. Bacon said he can’t decide whether he prefers acting or music. But he likes the team attitude that comes with be ing in a band. Acting in films can be “odd ly isolating,” he said, while in the band, everyone has a necessary and comple mentary role. He particularly likes working with his brother because there is a high de gree of trust and support. They share lead vocals, and sibling rivalry only sur faces when it comes to how many songs each has written. Right now, Bacon is ahead. “I feel blessed that I’ve been able to bring music into my life. Even if no one ever heard of the band, it’s such a blessing to be able to play — to get to gether with the guys and play. It’s kind of a magical experience when it’s work ing right and it’s grooving.” Deep from page 4 never really hooks the viewer. The harsh treatment of women is especially hard to watch, from the words the male characters use to describe them to the ease with which God beats a woman he thinks has stolen from him. He picks her up by her hair from the sidewalk as she screams and cries, then sticks a gun in her mouth and forces her to suck it — all in front of his son, who’s strapped into a car seat in God’s BMW. Most of the performances are strong, especially Epps’ as the man caught in the middle. He shows a wide range of emotions as his two worlds tug at him. He’s brazen and rebellious at times, scared and tormented at others. Tucci, as a stable, soft-spoken voice of reason, again displays his range. We saw hint this spring as a wily Puck in “William Shakespeare’s A Mid summer Night’s Dream,” last year as “Winchell,” for which he won a Gold en Globe, and in 1996 as a high-strung Indian restaurant owner in “Big Night.” L.L. Cool J never truly embodies his character’s villainy, though. Even at his cruelest moments, he still comes off as a nice guy—his sweet baby face betrays him. Pam Grier as a member of the undercover detective team is one of the few strong female characters in the film, and her presence provides an el ement of peace. Her time on screen is way too short. Michael Rymer’s direction often relies on quick pans and extreme close ups of faces, guns and knives, provid ing an engrossing tension, enhanced by the thumping bass of gangsta rap in nearly every scene. The lighting also enhances the film’s moods. Epps and Long sit before a fire place during a quiet talk, and its gold en glow warms them. Later, bright white headlights splash across Epps’ face before he enters a drug bust in the film’s climax. “In Too Deep,” a Miramax release, is rated R for strong language, violence and drug use. Running time: 105 min utes.