R.E.M. took home the 2008 Flagpole Best Album Award for ACCELERATE Thursday night, besting a trio of stellar local releases including the Drive-By-Trucker’s “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark,” Elf Power’s “In a Cave” and The Whigs “Mission Control.” R.E.M.’s Art Director Chris Bilheimer was on hand to accept the award on behalf of the band, who were playing a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City. “The band wanted to be here tonight,” said Chris, “but they booked Madison Square Garden and couldn’t get their deposit back.”
Click here to read the Athens Banner Herald’s coverage of the awards’ ceremony.