Michael Stipe and Jason Isbell’s set, featuring REM classics

Michael Stipe, in his first public, solo live performance in five years, performed a four-song set with Jason Isbell at last night’s Kamala Harris and Tim Walz campaign event in Pittsburgh.

The two musicians were introduced by Kamala Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff, who welcomed the couple on stage at Schenley Plaza. “I am truly honored and excited to introduce Michael Stipe and Jason Isbell,” said the second gentleman. Before the set, the former REM frontman, wearing a Harris-Walz camouflage hat, said: “I haven’t sung these songs in a while, 16 years to be exact, but I’m really happy to be here with Jason and with the future First Gentleman of the United States of America”.

The American band’s classic “The One I Love”, with Stipe on lead vocals and the 45-year-old singer-songwriter on guitar and backing vocals, opened the live show. The duo then played a couple of Isbell songs with Michael Stipe on backing vocals, ” Traveling slot” and “Hope the high road”, before closing their short set with “Driver 8” by REM, which Stipe – in his first solo performance – releases since the series of shows opening for Patti Smith’s concerts in New York in 2019 – hadn’t sung live since a 2008 concert.

Michael Stipe, along with Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry performed as REM together again last June for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for the 2024 edition. During the ceremony to celebrate the chosen artists by the National Academy of Popular Music, which aims to create a museum dedicated to the most important songwriters of the US music industry, the group had played an acoustic version of “Losing my religion”.