By Karen Stephen MOST people usually use the support act slot to down a drink or two at the bar.

But when the support band is Teenage Fanclub, you take your seat pretty pronto and jostle for a drink later.

The Scottish band who years ago could only manage 10 minutes of shambolic "live" playing, delivered heroically romantic pop songs from albums, Grand Prix and Songs From A Northern Britain.

But of course it was REM we all came to see and as the first notes of Lotus, from their recent album, Up, echoed round the arena, Manchester welcomed back the band from Athens, Georgia.

"The last time we were in Manchester we got spat at by the audience," announced frontman Stipe, probably recalling the band's early appearance at Manchester University over a decade ago.

"But we enjoyed it anyway," he offered before giving us Star 69, Crush With Eyeliner and Sweetness Follows.

At one point, Peter Buck's guitar broke and, let me tell you, the lad was none too pleased. So naffed off was he, he chucked the offending item onto the floor.

But Stipe saved the day and launched into a solo rendition of Suspicious Minds, accompanied by Mike Mills, resplendent in his sequined Nudie suit.

Buck's guitar back on course, we got a brilliant Man In The Moon and, a real classic, Fall On Me - very early REM.

At the end of the night came The End Of The World. Die hard fans knew they'd finish with this and to say I'm surprised the MEN Arena still has a roof on it is an understatement.

REM were, and are, truly brilliant but without Stipe they'd be nothing. His stage presence is second-to-none and his voice sends shivers down the spine.

I always remember my nan saying the same about Englebert Humperdink . . .

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.