LimeWire Music Blog

When drummer Bill Berry amicably left R.E.M. in 1997, it threw the incredibly popular alt-rock giants into a spiral that left them diminished, yet ripe for experiment.  Since then, Berry has made only a handful of on stage appearances, most recently stopping by to perform in hometown Athens this past Monday night.

Normally, this sort of thing wouldn’t be so newsworthy.  However, Berry, who retired from the band in 1997 after suffering a brain aneurysm, appeared on stage this time with former bandmates Mike Mills and Peter Buck for the first time since their Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2007.  He performed two songs with his former chums, including covers of The McCoy’s “Hang on Sloopy” and The Beatles’ “The Ballad of John and Yoko.”  The trio were also joined on stage by frequent collaborators Scott McCaughey, Linda Pitmon, and former Dream Syndicate vocalist Steve Wynn.

Could this mean Berry is anxious to leave his humble, farming days behind and rejoin the rock ‘n’ roll world once and for all?  My guess is probably not, but a boy can dream, right?  As for the performance, click below for some amateur fan footage of the evening.  Sure, it’s loose, but the boys look like they’re having a ball.