Michael Shannon & Company pay tribute to R.E.M. at the Fillmore

BY DANIEL GLUSKOTER

Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s musical tribute to the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.’s Fables of the Reconstruction was a both a thrilling and highly energetic treat for those in attendance at the Fillmore in San Francisco on Tuesday night.

Shannon, an American actor, is the recipient of two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor in Revolutionary Road and Nocturnal Animals, along with roles in The Shape of Water, the HBO series Boardwalk Empire and a resume of over a hundred other films in a highly diverse and decorated career. A 50 year old native of Kentucky, Shannon’s love for music initially blossomed as a high schooler in Lexington where he played bass in his first band.

Narducy’s musical resume includes bassist and backing vocalist for the Bob Mould Band, Superchunk and the punk rock band Verboten, widely credited by Dave Grohl as his primary inspiration to pursue music. Narducy has also worked with The Pretenders, Eddie Vedder and Liz Phair in a career that stretches back to the eighties.

The duo has been collaborating for over a decade, covering full albums by some of their favorite artists including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, T. Rex and The Smiths at clubs in the Midwest. A 2023 performance of R.E.M.’s Murmur in Chicago featuring a guest appearance by the band’s bass guitarist and backing vocalist Mike Mills ended up motivating the pair to take their celebration on the road.

Shannon stated: “R.E.M.’s music is beyond comprehension and I cherish every chance I get to deliver it. R.E.M. means the world to me. And this band led by Jason is stone cold ridiculous. Even if I never walked onstage, you would get a hell of a show.” Narducy added, “We love celebrating the music of this great band.”

Fronting a band featuring John Stirratt on bass, Dag Juhlin on guitar, Vijay Tellis-Nayak manning keyboards and Jon Wurster on drums, Shannon’s vocals and frequent spastic movements and mannerisms often mirrored those of R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe himself, although he’s a much more imposing presence at just a shade under 6″4′, a half foot taller than Stipe.

The solid two hour performance opened with a complete performance of Fables of the Reconstruction in its entirety, featuring well known cuts like “Driver 8” and “Can’t Get The From Here” before closing the mini set with a cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Femme fatale.” The second set basically amounted to an unadvertised 17 song encore.

Maintaining a frenetic approach throughout, Shannon and Narducy proceeded to rifle thru R.E.M.’s catalog at a prodigious pace, continuing their blissful set with renditions of “Daysleeper,” “World Leader Pretend” and “Pretty Persuasion” providing highlights. “Cuyahoga” from Lifes Rich Pageant would give Shannon an opportunity to tease another 40th anniversary tribute next year, before “Second Guessing” from 1984’s Reckoning set the stage for a brief departure from the Fillmore rostrum.

Returning almost instantly to a raucous ovation, the band launched into “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” and “Windout” from 1987’s Dead Letter Office B-sides and rarities collection before wrapping with Aerosmith’s “Toys in the Attic” from the same album as Shannon and Narducy energetically duetted across the stage with assistance from the colorfully attired opening act Dave Hill. Their love for the band is genuine, their passion for R.E.M. even leading to original R.E.M. members Mills, Peter Buck, Bill Berry, and Stipe appearing on stage together last February for the first time in 17 years at Shannon and Narducy’s stop at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia.

Shannon & Narducy’s R.E.M. tribute next moves to the Northwest this weekend with shows at the Neptune Theatre in Seattle on Friday and Revolution Hall in Portland this Saturday.