Michael Shannon Brooklyn show draws Michael Stipe for rare R.E.M. songs
Michael Stipe made a rare onstage appearance Saturday to sing two R. E. M. tracks during michael shannon and Jason Narducy’s Brooklyn concert at Brooklyn Steel. By Sunday at 9: 00 a. m. ET, the performance was drawing attention because it included Stipe singing “These Days” and “The Great Beyond” live for the first time since 2008.
Michael Stipe closes Brooklyn Steel set with “These Days” and “The Great Beyond”
Stipe joined the show to close out Saturday night at Brooklyn Steel in New York City, stepping in for a pair of songs drawn from different points in R. E. M. ’s catalog. The set-ender included Lifes Rich Pageant’s “These Days” and “The Great Beyond” from the Man on the Moon soundtrack.
The appearance marked the first time since 2008 that Stipe has sung both tracks live. Another account of the same performance described it as the first time in 18 years he had played either song live, underscoring how uncommon the moment was for fans who have followed his limited onstage performances in recent years.
Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy tour spotlights Lifes Rich Pageant anniversary
Shannon and Narducy have been touring as an R. E. M. tribute act for the past few years, and their current run is tied to the 40th anniversary of R. E. M. ’s 1986 album Lifes Rich Pageant. The Brooklyn performance fit into that theme with “These Days, ” one of the album’s tracks.
In a moment described from the stage, Stipe took the microphone, joked, and spoke about what it meant to hear other musicians perform the songs. He called it “insane” and “surreal” to experience the music from a different perspective, after years of being “right in the middle of the songs. ”
On this tour, appearances by members of R. E. M. have been an occasional surprise. The Brooklyn Steel set continued that pattern, with Stipe’s participation turning an anniversary-themed tribute show into a notable live event for longtime listeners.
R. E. M. members have appeared at select gigs in Athens and Brooklyn
Stipe has joined Shannon and Narducy at multiple points across recent years. At a pair of 2025 gigs in Athens and Brooklyn, he joined them for a rendition of “Pretty Persuasion, ” and at Saturday’s Brooklyn show he opted to sing two other tracks to close the night.
The broader run of guest appearances has included high-profile moments in Athens, Georgia. A 2024 gig in R. E. M. ’s native Athens brought together all four core members of the band, and Stipe previously joined Shannon and Narducy at the 40 Watt Club in Athens in 2024 as well.
While the band has been reluctant to stage a full reunion, R. E. M. has still surfaced in unexpected ways, including a surprise one-off performance at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony in June 2024. Guitarist Peter Buck, speaking previously about the idea of a full reunion, said it “would never be as good, ” and described how difficult it had become for the group to agree musically before breaking up in 2011.
For now, michael shannon and Jason Narducy’s U. S. tour is nearing its final stretch. As of the latest update tied to Saturday night’s Brooklyn Steel show, six more dates remained on the schedule, with upcoming stops listed in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago (two shows), Minneapolis, and Bloomington, with the next show expected to be announced by the touring act.
