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STIPE (R.E.M TRIBUTE) // 18TH DEC // THE DUCHESS YORK
About this Event
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/remband
When R.E.M. decided, in their words, "to call it a day" in September 2011 it might have seemed the beginning of a long, sad silence.
Unless. Unless you were one of the lucky few who knew already that STIPE are one of the very best bands on the tribute scene.
Any music fan, who dares to imagine themselves devoted, will try to convert you to their music.
But what if that fan was a superb vocalist? Had an eye as to what really drove the songs? Looked for the details in the band's live performances?
In STIPE's frontman Richard Southern you have all of these in huge quantities.
"The music of R.E.M. left such an impression on myself that it will always be a part of my life.
It lives deep down inside and has brought much happiness.
For as long as I am able, I will keep singing those songs and performing as 'Michael Stipe'."
When you first hear STIPE it is instantly clear that Richard Southern has adopted Michael Stipe's stage presence, charisma and voice and made it his own.
And as much as R.E.M. was bigger than the individuals alone then so is this tribute.
A drummer that matches Bill Berry's intensity in Martyn Smith and a second guitarist in John McGlough to delight anyone with an ear for the band's later material combine to move towards reproducing that R.E.M. sound.
To that then add lead guitarist Steve Bell mirroring Peter Buck's passion and accuracy and then introduce bassist Anton Rowenski to honour Mike Mills' complex bass lines. Then you have the best of tributes to R.E.M., a band that has filled venues to capacity.
Once on stage STIPE interact with their audience, bringing the brilliance of R.E.M. to life, time and time again, in a live setting.
They are down to earth and approachable off stage, full of a sense of purpose in getting this music that they so truly make their own, in performance, out there.
STIPE are on tour over the summer and into the winter across the country and in Italy.
R.E.M. and STIPE defy classification. Beyond Rock and Punk, more direct than Pop, they are truly in a class of their own.
Listen to a R.E.M. song from any era; early days icons such as Radio Free Europe, full of bass-held melody, jangly lead lines and their signature intrigue, classics such as It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) with its cartoon-fast images pulling you on or the sheer and elegant evasions of Losing My Religion and then get down to The Duchess on 18th December To hear STIPE's sets played live is to fall in love with this music, for the first time or all over again.
Find STIPE's Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/remband and website here http://www.remtribute.co.uk/