Michael Stipe attends HBO’s “Rooster” New York Premiere on March 03, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe was the surprise guest at Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s Brooklyn concert Saturday. The duo is on tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.’s fourth studio album, Lifes Rich Pageant.
Stipe joined them for two songs, Pageant’s “These Days” and the Man on the Moon track “The Great Beyond.” Fan-shot footage of the performances are posted on R.E.M.’s Instagram account.
While Stipe’s appearance wasn’t announced prior to the show, fans may not have been all that surprised he showed up. Stipe joined the pair at their Brooklyn show in March 2025, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.’s Fables of the Reconstruction, and performed the Reckoning track “Pretty Persuasion.”
Stipe and his R.E.M. bandmates Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry also joined Shannon and Narducy when the Fables tour hit R.E.M.’s hometown of Athens, Georgia, in February of that same year.
Shannon and Narducy’s Lifes Rich Pageant tour hits Pittsburgh on Monday.
In other Michael Stipe news … The rocker and producer Andrew Watt has contributed the theme song Steve Carrell’s new HBO series, The Rooster. The song, “I Played The Fool,” features blink-182’s Travis Barker on drums and ex Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer on guitar and piano.
