R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe appeared at another rally for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, this time joining second gentleman Doug Emhoff Thursday in Athens, Georgia, the birthplace of R.E.M.
Stipe performed four songs with musicians Andy LeMaster and David Barbe, including the R.E.M. tunes “Wendell Gee,” which Stipe said was written in Athens and only performed four times, and “Driver 8.” They also performed “Your Capricious Soul,” from Stipe’s upcoming solo album, which he said had never been played live before, and “No Time For Love Like Now,” a tune he recorded with Big Red Machine aka The National’s Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernonof.
Stipe also told the crowd a story of being in a restaurant in Manhattan for a friend’s birthday dinner about six years ago when he noticed a couple sharing a burger and some wine, noting they looked totally in love. Later that woman came over, tapped him on the shoulder and said, “My husband loves music, he’s a big fan. My name is Kamala Harris. This is Doug Emhoff.”
“I just want to say here tonight that these people are real, genuine, crazy in love people,” he said, noting it was a joy to see them in that moment and “now to see and celebrate that type of dedication and that type of love on a national and global stage.”
This is the second Harris/Walz rally that Stipe has performed at. He previously performed with Jason Isbell at a rally in Pittsburgh.
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