Did you look at the R.E.M. tour schedule and feel sad because they won’t come close to your city? Fear not – NPR has come to the rescue.

The band’s March 12 show at the South by Southwest Festival will be broadcast and webcast on NPR. The show may also be podcast for future listening. This show was already going to be available on PBS as part of their coverage of SXSW at a later date on “Austin City Limits.”

I remember during one of the previous tours when they streamed a show online, so I know this will be a great addition to the tour. Since this will come very early in the process – this will be their second show on the road – we all should get a great sneak peek into what the rest of the shows will sound like. I’m really interested in seeing how much of their previous three albums make the set list and if they keep resurrecting old stuff like they did in the Dublin rehearsals.

I haven’t heard any more on the possibility of the band headlining the Virgin Festival in Baltimore, but the dates of the event were released this week. The weekend of August 9-10 gives the band plenty of time to fly home after their July 26 show in Milan and their August 16 show in Budapest. I’m keeping my hopes up.