Last night, Oct. 10, Michael Stipe returned to Athens, Ga., the city where he first joined Bill Berry, Peter Buck and Mike Mills to form R.E.M. In those hallowed stomping grounds, the legendary vocalist and songwriter took the stage to support the Harris/Walz campaign’s Get Out the Vote initiative, bringing a highlight to the Peach State rally with a four-song performance. This was the second of Stipe’s appearances on the campaign trail, following a performance alongside Jason Isbell in Pittsburgh on Oct. 4.
After an introduction from Second Husband Doug Emhoff, who led the event, Stipe warmed the crowd by recalling his first encounter chance encounter with Harris and Emhoff, who he described as “two real, genuine, crazy-in-love people.” His remarks led directly into his first performance of R.E.M.’s Fables of the Reconstruction fan-favorite “Wendell Gee” since its release in 1985, with support from Now It’s Overhead’s Andy LeMaster and Sugar’s David Barbe. To preface the track, he noted, “this first song was written here in Athens and I’ve performed it exactly four times in my life, so if I fuck it up just roll with it, it might get a little better.”
Stipe followed the rarity with “Your Capricious Soul,” drawn from his 2019 solo album of the same name, and “No Time for Love Like Now,” his 2020 collaboration with Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner’s Big Red Machine, which he introduced as a live debut. To close out the performance, Stipe returned to “Driver 8,” which he previously performed at the Pittsburgh rally.
Watch Stipe’s performance at the Get Out the Vote event below.
The post Watch: Michael Stipe Performs R.E.M.’s “Wendell Gee” for the First Time Since 1985 at Harris/Walz Rally in Athens, Ga. appeared first on Relix Media.
