1,461 MICHAEL SHANNON, JASON NARDUCY and friends play R.E.M’s “LIFE’S RICH PAGEANT”, Bristol Thekla, Tuesday 1st September 2026

 

“A brilliant night’s rock was then ultimately climaxed with heartfelt thanks from Shannon, [and] a promise to return next year to tour “Life’s Rich Pageant” (my favourite R.E.M album! Yay!)”… These were my comments from one of my top gigs of last year, namely the project band of Bob Mould’s right-hand man Jason Narducy and imposing, lantern-jawed US actor Michael Shannon (plus seriously proficient backing band) tearing Bristol Thekla a new one with their rendition of hallowed US alt-rock pioneers R.E.M’s “Fables Of The Reconstruction” album, plus a smattering of deep cuts from the Athens, GA. legends’ back catalogue for good measure (gig 1,397). No way was I going to miss a subsequent run-through of “Pageant”, my favourite R.E.M album (hell, one of my favourite albums by anyone, full stop), so as soon as this gig was confirmed waay back last November, they had my money!

Anticipation high, I set off early to try to get a decent spot at 6.30 doors, ultimately securing a stage front position underneath the hanging speakers, house right. Chatted with folks down the front, including a young female couple who were primarily there to support Sloan bassist Chris Murphy, in the band tonight! Jeremy arrived shortly afterwards and we caught up before roadies did a final line check just after ¼ past 7! This was going to be an early one, then… Sure enough, the lights dimmed and a mournful “Abide With Me” emanated from the PA as the band took the stage at 7.30 prompt, launching into the rock-solid beat of “Pageant” opener “Begin The Begin”, Shannon’s low, gravelly tones already a feature and suiting the number perfectly. “Begin” segued seamlessly into the hurtling rollercoaster of a blistering “These Days”, likely the best double-whammy opener I’ve seen “live” this year, causing me to break out into as much whirling dervish dance as my 61 year old bones could muster. “So amazing to be back on this boat!” exclaimed Shannon at its’ conclusion, “we’re glad to start [our UK tour] here!” Glad to have you, folks! 

“Life’s Rich Pageant” stands out for me in R.E.M’s canon not just due to an utterly stellar set of tunes (“Side 1” in particular featuring 2 of my 3 all-time favourite R.E.M tracks), but also by the fact that it feels like a band finally finding their identity, a crossroads album transitioning the band from their more introspective jangly/ gothic Americana roots, and into a more thrillingly expansive rock dynamic, with Michael Stipe’s vocals particularly much more to the fore, paving the way for their elevation to stadium level fame. It’s an album I return to again and again, so was hoping Shannon, Narducy and co. would step up accordingly and do it proper justice “live”. And hoo boy, did they, and then some… “Fall On Me” was plaintive, yearning and utterly beautiful; “Cuyahoga” the majestic highlight of the “Pageant” run through for me, both elegiac and euphoric in equal measure; and “the dance song” of “Underneath The Bunker” saw Shannon throw shapes behind the squeezebox flamenco rhythm and Narducy’s haunting “whoo” backing vocals, rounding off side 1 of the album – or, “the Dinner Side” as Shannon had recently been advised by a reporter at Newport Folk Festival (“you knew already? Oh…”). “The Supper Side” continued with quality levels maintained; “Flowers Of Guatemala” was a mournful breath-catching elegy, followed by the banjo intro to a brilliantly jaunty and silly “I Believe”; “What If We Give It Away” was preceded by Shannon advising, “a bit of trivia – R.E.M never performed this “live”!”, a punter then shouting “fuck ‘em!” and Shannon brilliantly retorting with, “we’ll relay the message…”; and the unhinged punk rock of “Just A Touch” required – and received – a similarly dynamic, wild-eyed performance from the singer.

The shortest of breaks, following a rapturous ovation at the end of album closer “Superman”, saw the band back on, promising to, “go all over the catalogue”. The early descending Byrds-ian jangle of “Gardening At Night” was an irresistible groove; “Murmur”’s “Moral Kiosk” saw both Shannon and Narducy indulge in Adam Ant-like yodels over its’ angular, off-kilter rhythm; and “How The West Was Won” a brooding spaghetti Western soundtrack shimmer. Following an unplanned “Burning Down” (Shannon deadpanning, “we’re on a boat, and this is about a tragedy on a boat”) we got the news we were hoping for, Shannon coyly asking, “would you like us to come back and do “Document”?” to cheers of acclamation, the subsequent “taster” of a savage, cascading “Fireplace” drawing an exemplary elastic-limbed performance from drummer Jon Wurster. The singalong “Great Beyond” then rounded off a quite stunning 1 ½ hours of prime rock, this brilliant band playing these hallowed tunes with both reverence and (dare I say it?) ownership. 

A 4 song encore saw Shannon and keyboardist Vijay Tellis-Nayak deliver a beautiful, affecting “Nightswimming” before a couple of juddering wah-wah-led “Monster” numbers rather incongruously rounded off proceedings (“Monster” never being amongst my favourite R.E.M albums, I must admit…). Never mind, this was still a fabulous performance and for me, likely the best set of 2026 not by American Hi-Fi…! I grabbed a list and chatted with folks, receiving compliments on how much I’d been dancing (my shirt? Full Cleo – and then some!). Bade farewell to Jeremy before brief conversations with both Narducy and Wurster, got my list signed by both and a pic with the drummer (whom I've also seen behind the kit for Superchunk and Bob Mould!), then peeled off my soaking teeshirt and drove home, back in the ‘don for an early 10.30. As I said, quite the most stunning set, even better than my very high expectations, with the band doing “Pageant” full justice. Back next year with “Document”, it seems, and, in Shannon’s words, long may this “strange and beautiful adventure” continue!

1,397 MICHAEL SHANNON AND JASON NARDUCY play the songs of R.E.M., Bristol Thekla, Tuesday 26th August 2025

 

A hectic gigging Autumn launches with another mission of redemption for one of my favourite bands, namely R.E.M! As I’d discussed as part of my “Forever Now” 2025 review (gig 1,392), I’d first seen Athen’s finest support U2 in 1985 at Milton Keynes Bowl, where they’d kicked off a set following The Ramones with a real downer, the slow, morose and moody “Feeling Gravity’s Pull” from their then-current album “Fables Of The Reconstruction”, and I walked away… I realised the error of my ways 2 years later and ultimately saw R.E.M. a total of 8 times, so I was well up for this gig when I heard about it; Jason Narducy, Bob Mould’s right-hand bandmate, and granite faced US character actor Michael Shannon plus “friends” (including Bob Mould/ Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster and Dag Juhlin, formerly of eclectic 80’s lot Poi Dog Pondering and apparently a friend of my Gravel Pit mate Ed Valauskas!), playing a set of R.E.M material “live”, and apparently with the blessing of all 4 original members? I’m in! The fact that this tour ironically showcased that “Fables” album also gave me a chance to stay put for “Gravity’s” this time…!

Given that we’d originally recognised each other at an R.E.M. gig in May 1989 (gig 129), it was no surprise that Beef was up for this too. We hit the road at 5.45, arriving in good time but then suffering an absolute payment-mare involving broken meters, meters eating my cash for no ticket, and useless apps! I eventually drove to the nearby Louisiana car park, otherwise I might have ripped a meter off its pole in anger and hoyed it into the harbour! Nonetheless, we were still in for 7, grabbing a stage front spot, house right, next to occasional Devizes gig buddy Alfie. Recent gig friend Jeremy joined us as well, and lively rock chat passed the time, until the lights dimmed at 8 in front of a by-now full and expectant house. The band then took the stage, the great-coated Shannon last, greeting us with a soft, “hi,” before the ominous opening riff of “Gravity’s” rang out… 

“Fables”, R.E.M’s third, somewhat troubled album, was a development from the understated yet upbeat Rickenbacker jangle of their first two, delving into more Violent Femmes backwoods alt-country, albeit with a gloomier, almost macabre American gothic atmosphere at times, exemplified by this opening track. Fears that it might drag however were totally unfounded; it sounded great, no surprise really given the quality of the players, but vocalist Shannon also immediately demonstrated this was no vanity project on his behalf, his voice low, dark and authoritative, completely suiting the material. The Byrsdian gallop of “Driver 8” was a brilliant early highlight, after which Shannon commented on tonight’s “happening house,” some wag down the front (ok, me…) replying, “welcome to the dirty boat!” to his delight. Shannon then related the meaning of “Life And How To Live It” before the song’s undulating gallop, and Narducy later took the mic to lament his food poisoning episode during his last Bristol visit with Bob Mould in 2016 (gig 1,006) before the “Fables” outlier, the joyful shape-throwing funk of “Can’t Get There From Here”, by which time I was seriously working up a sweat in my front row spot, duly noted by Narducy (or was it my R.E.M album cover shirt?). The squalling behemoth of “Auctioneer” ceded to a beautiful, melancholy rendition of “Wendell Gee” to close out the “Fables” run through, Shannon commenting on R.E.M’s propensity for cover versions prior to an excellently observed “Femme Fatale”, which rounded off a waaaay better than expected first set. 

Barely time for a loo break before part two, a “scattershot” set through R.E.M.’s canon, albeit one which studiously avoided their well-known tracks, taking the path less trodden and rewarding the faithful. The strident and angular “Strange” preceded Shannon oddly inquiring, “everyone got the right shoes on?” SWDTF (again, me...) replying “Jon [Wurster] has!” the drummer favouring the same TUK creepers as me! “Bandwagon” was a jolly singalong and the subsequent “Gardening At Night” a superb descending thrill-ride; the haunting and prescient “World Leader Pretend” was preceded by Shannon commenting they’d been playing that one a lot in the States, “because… why wouldn’t you?”; the irresistible hurtling metronome of “Sitting Still” was my set highlight thus far; but that was immediately eclipsed by the wonderfully soaring and anthemic chorus of a heartfelt “Cuyahoga” to round off set two.

Shannon and Narducy then opened up a 5-song encore by two-handing a stripped back and plaintive “So. Central Rain”, Shannon impressively holding that final note in full-on Stipe fashion. A brilliant night’s rock was then ultimately climaxed with heartfelt thanks from Shannon, a promise to return next year to tour “Life’s Rich Pageant” (my favourite R.E.M. album! Yay!), and the inevitable closer, the embryonic post-punk chugalong “Radio Free Europe” before the band took a full deserved bow to acclaim, and I, finally, took a breath, sweaty and soaked from all my dancing! A passing Dag handed me the list, then a quick Boston-centric chat with the man afterwards and a catch up with Bristol friend Keeley preceded a shirtless walk back to the car and an euphoric drive home. Just a brilliant, celebratory night, a timeless and classic band done complete justice by Shannon, Narducy and co. As Shannon himself commented, “god bless R.E.M,” but god bless you fine gents as well!