Rephrase my R.E.M. surprised fans last night by reuniting during a tribute gig celebrating their classic debut album ‘Murmur’ – see footage and images below.
All four members of the band – Michael Stipe, Bill Berry, Peter Buck and Mike Mills – made an unexpected return at the 40 Watt Club venue in their home city of Athens, Georgia yesterday (February 8).
READ MORE: R.E.M.: every single album ranked and rated
The 460-capacity space was hosting the latest show of actor Michael Shannon and musician Jason Narducy’s current tour – which sees the pair play 1983’s ‘Murmur’ in full along with a handful of their favourite R.E.M. songs.
Video and photos have since emerged of Stipe and co. on stage at the event. In one fan-shot clip, the frontman tells the excited audience: “Speaking on behalf of Bill and Mike and Peter, we are so fucking thrilled to be here tonight.”
Additional footage of the moment has not yet been shared at the time of writing. However, it is reported that the group did not perform live together.
Sharing an image of R.E.M. at the 40 Watt Club, one attendee wrote: “I’ve always wanted to go to Athens, GA for a pilgrimage in honor of the B-52s and #REM.
“My friend Mike Shannon and pals were playing all of ‘Murmur’ at the historic @40WattAthens so I decided it was the right time to go. The real surprise? All four of them showed up! ”
See the posts below.
pic.twitter.com/yDtiEwDqlN
— Scene SC (@SceneSC) February 9, 2024
I’ve always wanted to go to Athens, GA for a pilgrimage in honor of the B-52s and #REM. My friend Mike Shannon and pals were playing all of Murmur at the historic @40WattAthens so I decided it was the right time to go. The real surprise? All four of them showed up! pic.twitter.com/kC6aRfu7BD
— Liz Garibay (@LizGaribayChi) February 9, 2024
R.E.M. performed at the legendary 40 Watt Club numerous times throughout their career, and it is owned by Peter Buck’s ex-wife Barrie. Back in 2013, Rolling Stone named the venue one of the best clubs in America.
The publication wrote about how Stipe would “stage-dive into the crowd” during performances, and recalled how the singer used to “count pennies to get in” in his pre-fame years.
Last summer, Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy brought out Mike Mills at one of their ‘Murmur’ concerts in Chicago.
R.E.M. broke up in 2011 after 31 years together. Berry had previously departed the band in 1997, with Stipe, Buck, and Mills continuing as a trio. The drummer reunited with the group a handful of times in the ’00s, including a performance at the Georgia Theatre in Athens in 2006.
READ MORE: NME meets R.E.M.: “We needed swagger – to be loud and raw”
Last December, Mills revealed that there are “plenty of vault songs” yet to be released from R.E.M.’s catalogue.
In 2022, however, Buck reaffirmed that the band’s split was permanent after Stipe confirmed the previous year that they would “never reunite”.
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