R.E.M-ember castle rocked 21 years ago? Stars air Stirling documentary to mark anniversary of gigs

Twenty-one years ago one of the biggest bands in the world played three amazing nights of sold-out concerts at Stirling Castle.

There had been previous concerts on the castle esplanade but no band as globally renowned as R.E.M. had played there before.

These concerts on July 19-21 were documented by filmmakers, Deborah Hogan and Andy Cronk of Lonely Goat who had contacted the band about documenting how their presence would impact the small Scottish city in which the castle was located.

In the band’s words, they were “all in” for this sliceof-life approach and they all agreed it would be nice to have things told from the fans’ perspective and that of the local community.

The result was the documentary ‘A Stirling Performance’, which not only records parts of the concerts and interviews with the band but also gives a fun and affectionate insight into the Stirling of 1999.

To celebrate this special anniversary of the Stirling shows, R.E.M. will be screening the documentary on their Youtube channel, REMHQ, on the anniversary dates of the original concerts.

Directors Deborah and Andy said: “We wanted to make a film that showed a different side of a band and their effect on people and places. We found out about the shows at Stirling Castle not long before they were going to happen but thought, what have we got to lose? Let’s phone up R.E.M. As it was 1999, we had access to the latest technology, the fax, so did that instead.

“We were not expecting a call the next day from the band to say yes. We think the film captures a magical moment in time and we’re so proud that 21 years later it still resonates. We’re excited more people are now discovering it for the first time”.

Bertis Downs, R.E.M.’s manager added: “I remember the first fax we got from Lonely Goat about the film. It was only about a week or two before Stirling. We were at Roskilde in Denmark playing a show and we had no idea that they were scrambling to get something, anything filmed. We just thought ‘Oh why not? It’ll probably make a good movie the way they’re proposing it.’ Glad we said yes.”

The spectacular and historic setting of Stirling Castle provided the perfect backdrop to these highly-anticipated concerts. R.E.M.’s Scottish fans turned out in their droves and although the weather might not have been the best on a few of those days but the welcome was certainly warm!

Convener of Stirling Council’s Community Planning and Regeneration Committee, Councillor Chris

Kane, said: “I’ve got a personal connection with this project because I’m one of those interviewed in the film and it is fascinating to watch it 21 years later.

“Stirling Castle esplanade started hosting concerts in the early 1990s but when it was announced that REM were coming to town, I remember both a sense of great excitement and a feeling that Stirling had taken things up a level and was now attracting world-wide attention as a concert venue.

“Deborah and Andy’s film captures part of the essence of what continues to make Stirling such an alluring destination for tourists and musical megastars.”

The special one-time only screening on YouTube will also include a new exclusive pre-recorded Q&A with the co-directors about the making of the documentary.

Details of the screening can be found on the Tolbooth and Albert Halls Facebook pages in the coming days, with a competition to win some R.E.M. goodies provided by the band (the competition is for UK residents only).

The trailer for ‘A Stirling Performance’ is now available for viewing at www.facebook. com/tolboothstirling, www. facebook.com/thealberthalls. stirling.

Did you see R.E.M. at Stirling Castle? Send your memories to us at news@ stirlingobserver.co.uk.