Michael Stipe Reconnects with R.E.M. Classics at Brooklyn Tribute Show
Michael Stipe made a rare appearance to perform R.E.M. tracks "These Days" and "The Great Beyond" at a tribute concert in Brooklyn, marking the first time he's sung both songs live since 2008.
Michael Stipe surprised fans with a rare onstage appearance Saturday night, joining Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s R.E.M. tribute band in Brooklyn.
Shannon and Narducy have been actively touring as an R.E.M. tribute act for several years, with occasional appearances from the band's original members. Earlier in 2024, a gig in R.E.M.’s hometown of Athens, Georgia, brought together all four core members of the group.
During a pair of 2025 shows in Athens and Brooklyn, Stipe joined Shannon and Narducy for a performance of “Pretty Persuasion.” Saturday's show at Brooklyn Steel saw Stipe take the stage to sing two additional R.E.M. favorites: “These Days” from Lifes Rich Pageant (celebrating its 40th anniversary) and “The Great Beyond” from the Man on the Moon soundtrack.
See Michael Stipe Sing Two R.E.M. Tracks at Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy's Brooklyn Concert
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While R.E.M. has been hesitant about a full reunion, the band continues to celebrate their legacy in unique ways. These include cameos at Shannon and Narducy's shows, as well as their surprise performance at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony in June 2024.
“It would never be as good,” guitarist Peter Buck previously said of a reunion, noting the band was right to break up in 2011. “At that point, there wasn’t anything we could agree on really, musically: what kind of music, how to record it, are we gonna go on tour. We could barely agree on where to go to dinner. And now we can just agree on where to go to dinner.”
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