There was a moment Tuesday night (March 10, 2026) at the Globe Iron, when the crowd was singing “Cuyahoga,” along with Michael Shannon, where you almost forgot you were seeing a tribute act and not R.E.M. in 1986.
The show was, of course, actually Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s R.E.M. tribute band, currently on tour covering the album ‘Life’s Rich Pageant,‘ released 40 years ago this year. Shannon brought his patented intensity. Narducy and the super group backing them up brought their powerhouse playing abilities.
Narducy and Shannon have been doing live covers of albums in and around Chicago for at least a decade now, from acts like Neil Young, the Modern Lovers, Bob Dylan, the Smiths, and T. Rex. But, somewhat unexpectedly for the group, the R.E.M. shows have taken off and are now a full-blown tour selling out venues.
Right from the start of the show, it’s pretty easy to see why they’ve caught on. The band crushed it. They played their hearts out for over two hours. From the opening notes of “Begin the Begin” you were transported to a different time. Shannon walked out in a casual button up, long cutoff pants, and painted Chuck Taylors, burst into the set and didn’t let up until the ending of the five-song encore, “Star 69,” Narducy in quiet support alongside him.
The show itself is structured simply. They play ‘Life’s Rich Pageant’ in its entirety, followed by an extended run through other a ton of R.E.M. material. They play a vast setlist. The show was over two hours, totaling 30 songs. There wasn’t much filler, either. Shannon didn’t say much, stopping every now and then to mention they were playing for abortion access charity, Abortion Access Front, or to give a tiny bit of backstory about a particular song or who liked it, etc., but it the night was mostly music.
Alongside Shannon and Narducy, the band features Jon Wurster on drums, John Stirratt on bass, Dag Juhlin on guitar, and Vijay Tellis-Nayak on keyboards. Just the band itself is an embarrassment of riches in its own right. Wurster is one of the most versatile drummers in indie rock (and one of the funniest, according to someone in the crowd). Stirratt, the longtime anchor of Wilco, brings an effortless authority to the low end. This is not a pickup band. These are people who love this music and know how to play it.
One major question lingering before the show is whether or not Shannon can actually sing, let alone fill in for Michael Stipe. He does both astoundingly well. But this isn’t a Stipe impression. Shannon makes the songs his own, with just enough Stipe in there on songs like “Swan Swan H” to really make you get lost in the show.
There’s a version of this concert that shouldn’t work. There’s something about actors attempting a music career that rarely translates to more than some weird aspirations of being a rock star. But it’s evident that what Shannon, who is a phenomenal 2- time Oscar nominated actor, is doing is much more than that. This isn’t a vanity project; it’s a passion project. That passion is also what elevates it above the typical cover band show. It’s clear he’s putting in the same sort of commitment he does for his acting rolls.
A personal favorite of the night was the first song of the encore, “Nightswimming,” which quietly brought the house down. It’s such a powerful song and hearing it live only cements how amazing it is. It’s almost unfair how brilliant Stipe is as a song writer. That song will make you fall in love with the band, and that’s just a single song from the night. Seeing so many played back-to-back with such passion, truly exhibits what makes R.E.M special.
If you haven’t seen this show, you need to. Even if you don’t like R.E.M. (you probably should give them another shot; there’s so much to like), or maybe you’re not familiar with the earlier albums, go check out the show. You’ll come out with a new appreciation for the band. It will make converts out of the non-believers.
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