R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe has consistently stated that the iconic indie rock band has no plans to reunite. However, on Thursday night, the original members took the stage together for just the second time since their 2011 breakup, performing their 1984 hit “Pretty Persuasion.”
The surprise reunion occurred during a concert by actor Michael Shannon, who is touring with Verbow singer/guitarist Jason Narducy. They were performing R.E.M.’s 1985 album “Fables of the Reconstruction” at the 40 Watt Club, a renowned 500-capacity venue in Athens, Georgia. Stipe was joined by former bandmates guitarist Peter Buck, bassist/singer Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry, who played tambourine.
A video posted by the 40 Watt Club shows Stipe, wearing red sunglasses, singing alongside Mills and Narducy to a packed crowd. Audience members eagerly captured the moment on their phones, marking a rare occasion since Berry’s 1997 departure from the band due to health issues.
R.E.M. continued as a trio after Berry left and released five more albums before officially disbanding in 2011. The band’s last public performance together was during a surprise reunion at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony last year, where they played “Losing My Religion.”
While the 40 Watt Club has relocated, it remains a cornerstone of the local music scene, hosting bands such as Pylon, Love Tractor, and Drive-By Truckers, as well as global acts like Nirvana and the Foo Fighters.
Despite the excitement surrounding this unexpected reunion, Stipe reiterated that R.E.M.’s performing and recording days are over. In a 2021 interview with WNYC’s “All Of It,” Stipe dismissed the idea of another reunion, emphasizing the band’s commitment to preserving their legacy without capitalizing on nostalgia.
R.E.M.’s final full concert took place in November 2008 in Mexico City, and their only other performance since then was at a private event for their manager, Bertis Downs, in 2016.