Time passed sooo slowly.
In the afternoon I couldn't stand it anymore just sitting at home waiting so I left for the venue around 3p.m..
It was raining like hell and I was soon soaked to the skin. Fortunately it was NOT an open air gig...
I was there way too early, of course, so I walked around the building (opera house) a few times, went to pee twice. About two hours before the "official" beginning (=7:30 p.m.) I placed myself in front of the back entrance hoping to catch the band walking in.
I learned that they all were already inside but maybe they would come out again (for what reason should they leave the warm nice bulding and go out into the cold rainy weather???).
Anyway, shortly before 7 p.m. the crowd was let in and since it was a seated gig there was no rush.
My seat was in row 13, right on the far left aisle.
Patti Smith came onstage. Great live, really.
She played for about an hour.
Set change, a 30 min. break.
Pee. Time doesnt pass.
WE WANNA SEE R.E.M. !!!!
Finally they come.
Dressed "normal", suits (Mike and Peter) and a shirt and gey pants Michael (he took the shirt off after a while and he was wearing a sleeveless tshirt and what a body has this man!!!)

I dont remember the setlist in detail, but they started with Lotus, they played many "slower" songs (about a third of the setlist was slow) and the last song (of the enchore) was e-bow (Patti and Michael); the second encore consisted of it's the end of the world as we know it and people have the power (again M&P).

A really bad thing was that everybody was sitting. Really, how can you remain seated at an R.E.M. concert? Sometime a few people stood up or even walked to the front along the aisle but they were asked by the security guys to return to their seats.
Michael said "it's okay, they can stand there" (talking about the aisle) and everybody cheered but then he was told that wasnt allowed so he took that back and asked the audience to remain at the seats ("you CAN stand at your seats -i mean AT, not ON them").
Maybe thats why they didnt "rock" as much as they could have....
But nevertheless, it was great. Once Michael looked at me (pretty far distance but he DID look at ME), I clapped my hands and jumped and he clapped his hands and jumped, too.

It seemed the band really enjoyed playing tonight.
Peter had his very huge dinosaur family with him (placed on the speaker) and also his "real" family (once, during a short break between two songs, some kid was shouting "DAAAAAD!"...hehe, one of his twins).

After the show I went again to the back entrance and after a while Michael came out with Patti, led by a security guard who shoved away the few people who were standing there.
They seemed like they wanted to get away from the crowd and spend some time together.

Well, that was it.
I bought a tshirt (olive green with a white bunny in the front and some print on the back) and a tourbook which has some real nice pictures inside (get it if you can!!).

Read about the Budapest show