Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy

Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy and Friends play whole R.E.M. albums, and the 2026 UK run is Lifes Rich Pageant in its entirety for the record's 40th anniversary, alongside many other R.E.M. classics. Shannon, the actor and director, and Narducy had already spent twelve years playing full albums by Neil Young, The Smiths and T. Rex at Chicago venues before a one-off show at Metro in July 2023, honouring the anniversary of Murmur and featuring Mike Mills as a guest, turned into a touring project. Jon Wurster drums, John Stirratt plays bass, Dag Juhlin guitar and Vijay Tellis-Nayak keyboards. All four original R.E.M. members joined them in Athens, Georgia during their spring 2026 Fables of the Reconstruction run. "We're all pinching ourselves," Shannon says.