Actor and musician Michael Shannon and guitarist Jason Narducy will bring their live performance of R.E.M.'s album Fables of The Reconstruction to Dublin this summer.
Shannon, who has received Oscar nominations for his roles in Revolutionary Road and Nocturnal Animals, and Narducy, who has played with the Bob Mould Band, Superchunk, and Sunny Day Real Estate, have been collaborating for the last eleven years.
Having toured R.E.M.’s classic debut album Murmur, they will now play the band’s third album Fables of The Reconstruction in its entirety, along with many other R.E.M. songs at The Button Factory in Dublin on 27 August.
Tickets for the show go on sale this Thursday 6 March at 10am here.
The 1985 album is seen as a transitionary record for R.E.M., who would go on to be one of the biggest acts in the world within a few years.
Recorded in London and produced by Pink Floyd and Nick Drake producer Joe Boyd, it features hits Can’t Get There From Here and Driver 8, as well as much-loved R.E.M. tracks such as Wendell Gee and Maps and Legends and has a harsher rock edge compared to the folk-rock jangle of their first two albums.
Shannon’s band also features Jon Wurster (drums), John Stirratt (bass), Dag Juhlin (guitar), and Vijay Tellis-Nayak (piano) and over the years, they have played entire albums by some of their favourite artists such as Neil Young, The Modern Lovers, Bob Dylan, The Smiths, and T. Rex.
All four original members of R.E.M. played on stage together for the first time in 17 years last week when they joined Shannon and Naeducy on stage in the band’s adopted hometown of Athens, Georgia.
Shannon and co first played Murmur in its entirety In July 2023 to a full house in Chicago, with a guest appearance from R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills.
Initially planned as a one-off performance to celebrate the record’s 40th anniversary, the show’s success inspired Shannon and Narducy to take the project on tour.
Speaking about taking Fables on the road, Shannon says, "I had never done a tour before. Jason nudged me after the Murmur set in Chicago. Now it’s all I want to do."
"I’m happy this one is twice as long. The last one was too short. This music is beyond comprehension and I cherish every chance I get to deliver it, even second generation. 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 adds: "After Michael and I took the band on the road playing Murmur, we discussed possibly trying something again in 2025.
"It will be the 40th anniversary of Fables Of The Reconstruction so we will open with that album, in sequence. Then we will dig deep into the R.E.M. catalogue to round out the performance. Each show will have unique setlists. We love celebrating the music of this great band."
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