CALGARY -- Every R.E.M. fan can offer you a way into their music.

Be it those who recommend early albums such as Document or Life's Rich Pageant, or those who suggest the hit singles route via their Best Of album, everyone devoted to the Athens, Ga. alt rock icons has advice on how to fully appreciate them, how to become one of the truly indoctrinated.

Up until last night's R.E.M. show at the 'Dome, I would have said the best way to become a fan would be to experience them live.

Now, though, that would require an asterisk:

(* See them anywhere live but the Saddledome on Nov. 17, 2005.)

As frontman Michael Stipe alluded to in his praise of a recent Winnipeg show and its audience, R.E.M. are about connection -- and unless you were in the first 20 or 30 rows, it's hard to imagine anyone feeling the power and intensity of the veteran rock band.

For a number of reasons, it seemed hollow, it seemed empty and it seemed impotent. The biggest reason of which was probably the room itself.

Those who've seen them in arenas or large outdoor venues know they can pull it off. They, especially Stipe -- last night wearing dark eye makeup and matching suit -- can be big enough to fill the room but still be believable.

Last night, he was no different doing the same Yankee Downie moves he's always done.

The rest of the band -- Peter Buck, Mike Mills and the touring crew, which includes ex-Posies member Ken Stringfellow -- matched his intensity.

But somewhere there was a disconnect.

Somewhere that power was lost, and alive became aloof.

The sound in the room is a likely culprit, especially considering the unexpectedly great tickets sales -- approximately 8,000 or so fans -- reportedly forced a reconfiguration of the 'Dome from half to full-bowl.

Whatever the case, it was too quiet, too muted and packed little or no wallop.

The setlist didn't help either.

True, in the first half-dozen songs, there was only one track from their last three -- and least effective efforts -- and that was a cut from their newest CD Around the Sun.

But the first 45 minutes was also missing any of the handful of hits presumably responsible for the larger-than-expected crowd.

Those songs -- such as The One I Love and Losing My Religion -- came later, and when they did, there was a noticeable energy boost. But it still wasn't enough to save things, it wasn't enough to make a relatively dull show dynamic. And it certainly wasn't enough to offer a lasting 'in' to the music of R.E.M.

If R.E.M. had trouble with the room, you can imagine the problem opener Charlie Mars had with it.

The Southern American singer-songwriter has remarkable charm, but last night he was fighting a losing battle.

Be it the half-empty 'Dome, the lack of amplification, his subdued sound or the middle-management idiot behind me using an episode of Star Trek to describe someone in his extraordinarily mundane life, Mars and his intimate, earthy rock was lost.