Photo from Dag Juhlin Facebook page.
I’m particularly fond of upbeat news on social media, particularly when it celebrates events or people in my hometown. Or rescued kittens. Recent posts regarding all four members of R.E.M. getting together for the first time in 17 years at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA have delighted the band’s loyal followers. And there’s an additional kick for those of us in Chicago.
The gentleman to the left of Michael Stipe in the photo above is Dag Juhlin. I've seen his bands several times in local clubs over the years, and talked to him on a few occasions. Along with fellow Chicagoans Vijay Tellis-Nayak, and Nick Macri, plus Harleysville, PA native John Wurster, he’s part of The Michael Shannon And Jason Narducy And Friends Play R.E.M.’s Murmur tour. Evanston, IL native Narducy has performed and recorded with Bob Mould as well with his own band Split Single, and Shannon is an Oscar-nominated actor-musician who’s earned critical acclaim in several theatre productions in Chicago.
Athens, GA, the third city on the tour, is the birthplace of R.E.M., so it was destined to be a special occasion. But it’s likely the arrival of Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe came as a surprise, especially when they joined the band onstage. In a Facebook post, Narducy thanked R.E.M., their staff, and manager Bertis Downs for being so welcoming. The official R.E.M. Facebook page is currently showing a number of photos from the event.
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