The R.E.M. show where Michael Stipe covered Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, and The Velvet Underground

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Some of the most memorable moments in R.E.M.‘s decades long career come from the biggest stages of them all.

The Michael Stipe-led group enjoyed successful Glastonbury Festival headline slots, as well as memorable moments along the fan favourite Monster tour in 1995. But a show you may not have seen comes from 1989, where Stipe and the band covered everything from Pink Floyd to Fleetwood Mac. The group also made time for a version of We Live as We Dream, Alone, by Gang of Four, and a song from The Velvet Underground’s self-titled album. The massive gig had the group perform two encores, the second of which was stuffed full of cover versions of songs which had seemingly inspired the band up to that point.

As part of the Green tour, R.E.M. would filter in several hits from other big-name bands and artists from the past. But it seemed to hit its peak during a gig at Le Grand Rex in Paris, France. Stipe and the band performed eleven covers across the set, overwhelming their own material in the process. A total of seven songs from their album, Green, which they were on tour to promote, were played.

Just one some from Reckoning and two from Murmur were included in a set which soon spiralled into covers of Suicide, Hugo Largo, and Television. A full setlist for the show can be found below.

• Pop Song 89
• Exhuming McCarthy
• These Days
• Welcome to the Occupation
• Turn Your Inside-Out
• Disturbance at the Heron House
• Orange Crush
• Feeling Gravitys Pull
• Sitting Still
• With the People (Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ cover)
• King of Birds
• We Live as We Dream, Alone (Gang of Four cover)
• World Leader Pretend
• Begin the Begin
• Underneath the Bunker
• Future 40’s (String of Pearls) (Syd Straw cover)
• I Believe
• It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
• Get Up
• Stand
• Driver 8
• See No Evil (Television cover)
• You Are the Everything
• Harpers (Hugo Largo cover)
• Tusk (Fleetwood Mac cover)
• Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 (Pink Floyd cover)
• Ghost Rider (Suicide cover)
• Finest Worksong
• Perfect Circle
• Dark Globe (Syd Barrett cover)
• After Hours (The Velvet Underground cover)
• So. Central Rain
• Red Rain (Peter Gabriel cover)
• Dust Bowl

While some covers were just snippets, other tracks featured in the set were full-length versions from R.E.M. See No Evil, Harpers, Ghost Rider, Dark Globe, and After Hours were, according to Setlist.FM, performed in full.

It may not be a surprise to see After Hours in the setlist for this show, as R.E.M. would perform the song as part of their show a total of one hundred and fifty-six times. Their last performance of the song came in Macon, Georgia.

Said performance also featured their cover of After Hours and Dark Globe, as well as a snippet of Word Up! by Cameo to round out the show.