Originally Posted by Quentin

For me, the worst was REM, hands down.

It was sometime in the 90s, can't recall when exactly. I was never that into REM to begin with, but a bunch of my friends were going, and one of them picked up the tab for my ticket. I liked a few tunes from their first couple albums, so I thought 'what the hell, it's free' and I tagged along.

Their guitar player was barely present; he looked almost as bored as I was. They had a guy on stage with them playing guitar, mandolin and a few other instruments; they never introduced him -- and he was clearly the best musician on the stage! (Not that this is saying much where REM is concerned)

In between listless versions of their best-known tunes, Michael Stipe spent most of the time lecturing the audience on political issues, and exhorting us all to stop at the Greenpeace booths that were out front, so we could "educate ourselves."

It was equal parts boring and condescending -- a lot like going to church, come to think of it.