The original line-up of REM reformed to mark their induction into the Georgia Hall Of Fame on Saturday night (September 16).
Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck were joined onstage for a three-song set at the World Congress Center in Atlanta by former bandmate Bill Berry, who quit in 1997.
The group ran through a three-song set in front of the 1,600 crowd, performing ‘Begin The Begin’, ‘Losing My Religion’ and closer ‘Man On The Moon’, which singer Stipe dedicated to the recently departed Texas Governor, Ann Richards.
In their acceptance speech, Stipe saluted everyone from Georgia who has made an impact in the arts, from OutKast to Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts, before thanking their office, partners, employees, families, friends and fans.
The group received a standing ovation from the audience, who had rushed the stage when they came on.
It’s not the first time Berry has played with the band since his departure – he joined them onstage for three songs on the ‘In Time’ greatest hits tour of 2003 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and also played a seven-song set at a friend’s wedding in a bowling alley in their native Athens in October 2005.
To watch performances of 'Begin The Begin' click here, to watch 'Losing My Religion' click here and to watch 'Man On The Moon' click here.
The band also performed two songs at the 40 Watt Club in Athens the night before - before watching as locals tackled some of their classic songs. click here to see a clip.
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