It was a night to remember for 35,000 fans, and a historic event for Huddersfield.
REM's Monster tour came to town for two nights in July 1995 and the Examiner's Claire Horton was there to soak up the party atmosphere.
Were you snapped in the crowd at Tuesday's gig? Click below for pictures
Claire said REM's set was 'close to perfection' - here's her review of their first appearance at the McAlpine - now the John Smith's Stadium - in full:
"They may write cracking songs but REM will never make it as weather forecasters.
Guitarist Peter Buck reckoned that every time the band played an outdoor gig on this year's Monster tour it rained.
Huddersfield proved him wrong.
In fact Huddersfield proved many people wrong - like those who thought the Alfred McAlpine Stadium was an unusual venue for a rock concert.
Anyway, the weather didn't matter for those who turned out for the gig that very nearly never was.
With two REM illness scared and the added blow of main support band Oasis pulling out less than a week ago, fans have been crossing their fingers for months wishing the gig to go ahad.
Magnapop - who count REM singer Michael Stipe and Bob Mould, of Sugar, among their fans - opened.
But their quirky sound just wasn't suited to the venue or the event, and anything they can do Belly can do better.
The criminally under-rated quartet have developed into an outstanding live band.
A spring UK tour and a marvellous appearance at Glastonbury have helped hone the band's set to perfection.
Tanya Donelly's voice is awesome and it's hard to think of another musician who appears to enjoy the live experience as much as rock vixen bassist Gail Greenwood.
And for once the usually timid-looking Tanya played up to Gail.
There should always be a place for great eccentrics in pop. But for The Beautiful South's Paul Heaton, the eccentricity has become more important than the music.
Heaton offered a greatest hits package, unsurprising since the band has just sold cartloads of copies of compilation album Carry On Up The Charts.
But he's lost his spark and needs someone with innate pure pop nous to balance his lyrical stripes. That is what made The Housemartins such a force to be reckoned with.
The band also needs to learn that personnel changes may force new arrangements.
We Are Each Other - the best song in the set - was mangled by forcing Jacqueline Abbott, the owner of a rich, fruity voice, to reach the heights of her predecessor Briana Corrigan. The result? It just didn't work.
Heaton should, however, be credited for his wicked wit. He's a superlative showman and even manages to get away with dancing like an over-excited kid at a family party.
One moment of true genius last night was daring to cover Oasis' Some Might Say.
REM's set, though, had genius stamped all the way through.
Stipe may have claimed beforehand that this year's gruelling tour has really been promoting three albums - Out Of Time, Automatic For The People and Monster.
But the fuzzy rock of last year's LP provided the bulk of the set.
Launching in with What's The Frequency Kenneth? and Crush With Eyeliner, the band set out their manifesto clearly.
Perhaps Automatic For The People's death obsession has proved too close to home.
Losing My Religion garnered a delighted response from the crowd, who were also rewarded with three shiny new tracks - Revolution, a bass-heavy song called Undertow and Departure, a lament to a dead friend.
The encore was truly emotional, with a Kurt Cobain tribute Let MeIn followed by the sublime Everybody Hurts.
And then, zipping the mood right along, a faster-than-the-original version of End Of The World sent everyone home smiling.
With such a huge back catalogue, no-one can expect all their favourites (like what happened to Orange Crush or Stand?).
But REM's set was as close to perfection as a band could ever come."
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