Last year, all four original members of R.E.M. reunited on stage for the first time in 17 years when Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s R.E.M. tribute tour made a stop at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia, the band’s hometown—but they didn’t perform. On Thursday night, Shannon and Narducy returned to the venue, and R.E.M. made their official onstage comeback by joining the duo for a performance of “Pretty Persuasion.”
This surprise moment was a special treat for fans in the audience, but especially for Shannon and Narducy, who have been covering R.E.M. songs on tour for several years. After the performance, Shannon exclaimed, “Oh my god, oh my god,” before regaining his composure and adding, “Guys, this is a special place where dreams come true.” You can watch fan-shot footage below.
[Get Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s R.E.M. tribute tour tickets here.]
According to setlist.fm, “Pretty Persuasion” was the only song during which frontman Michael Stipe joined Shannon and Narducy on stage along with the other members of R.E.M. However, Mike Mills, Peter Buck, and Bill Berry were seen frequently rotating on and off stage throughout the 32-song set.
After joining Shannon and Narducy last year, R.E.M. reunited for their first live performance in 15 years to celebrate their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame—just hours after Mills jokingly said in a televised interview that it would take a “comet” to get the band back together.
Shannon and Narducy are scheduled to perform again tonight (February 28th) at the 40 Watt Club as part of their 2025 tour, where they’ll play R.E.M.’s third album, Fables of the Reconstruction, in full.
