Music and movie fans, mark your calendars—twice Oscar-nominated actor and musician Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy (Bob Mould Band, Superchunk, Sunny Day Real Estate, Verböten, Split Single) are coming back to the UK this summer to celebrate the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.’s iconic 1985 album Fables of the Reconstruction. The duo, fresh off the success of their sold-out 2024 tour honoring R.E.M.’s debut Murmur, will once again team up with an impressive group of musicians to perform this beloved album in its entirety, alongside a selection of other R.E.M. hits.
The Fables anniversary tour kicks off on Tuesday, August 19th at Gorilla in Manchester, and fans across the UK can expect a series of special live performances that will no doubt bring the spirit of R.E.M. to life once more. Joining Shannon and Narducy for the tour will be Jon Wurster (drums), Nick Macri (bass), Dag Juhlin (guitar), and Vijay Tellis-Nayak (keyboards)—all seasoned musicians ready to take on the challenge of recreating the magic of Fables of the Reconstruction.
For those who have already caught the duo’s previous tour, which culminated in a historic Athens stop featuring the four original members of R.E.M. performing together for the first time in 17 years, this tour is shaping up to be another memorable musical event. The Fables tour promises to be equally exciting, with fans treated to a full performance of the 1985 album as well as a mix of classic R.E.M. tracks.
A particular highlight of the UK dates will be two nights at The Garage in north London—an especially poignant venue given its proximity to the iconic Livingston Studios, where Fables was originally recorded with legendary producer Joe Boyd.
Shannon and Narducy have been collaborating for over a decade. Over the years, the pair has treated Chicago audiences to unique live performances, covering entire albums by artists like Neil Young, The Modern Lovers, Bob Dylan, The Smiths, and T. Rex.
In July 2023, they performed Murmur at Chicago’s Metro to a full house, with a guest appearance from R.E.M.’s own Mike Mills. What was initially meant to be a one-off tribute to both the album and the venue’s 40th anniversary quickly turned into something much bigger. The overwhelmingly positive reception of the show inspired Shannon and Narducy to take the project on the road, culminating in their upcoming UK tour.
“I had never done a tour before. Jason nudged me after the Murmur set in Chicago at Metro. Now it’s all I want to do,” Shannon says. “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 shares his excitement about the upcoming tour: “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.”
Tickets for the tour will go on general sale this Friday, January 31st at 10am GMT. Be sure to grab yours early, as this promises to be a must-see event for fans of R.E.M. and ’80s alternative rock.
Tickets are available here.
Don’t miss out on the chance to witness a night of R.E.M. history—and experience Fables of the Reconstruction like never before. In the meantime, we’ll leave you with Shannon & Narducy performing R.E.M.’s ‘Driver 8’ on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
