R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe reunited with members of The National for a special performance of “E-Bow The Letter” in France on Saturday, October 17. The surprise collaboration took place at the Atabal venue in Biarritz as part of AB100, a two-day celebration honoring The National’s Aaron and Bryce Dessner on their 50th birthdays. Stipe was joined by The National frontman Matt Berninger, along with Aaron and Bryce Dessner, to perform the R.E.M. classic, originally released in 1996.
“E-Bow The Letter” originally appeared as the lead single from R.E.M.’s ninth studio album, New Adventures in Hi-Fi, released in September 1996. The track features guest vocals from Patti Smith, whose distinctive contribution helped make it one of the band’s most recognizable and unconventional songs. The singer then introduced the song by recalling its origins, explaining that R.E.M. began writing it during a stay in nearby San Sebastián in 1995.
NME stated that Aaron Dessner also reflected on the longstanding connection between the two acts, recalling how The National had repeatedly asked R.E.M. to play the song when they opened for the band in 2008. According to Dessner, the band had “begged” R.E.M. to perform the track during that tour. Nearly two decades later, Stipe finally joined the Dessner brothers and Berninger to bring the song to life onstage. The performance offered a full-circle moment for The National, connecting their history as R.E.M.’s opening act with their present-day friendship and musical collaborations. Saturday’s opening concert, titled Mixtape, featured appearances from a rotating lineup of artists, including Ben Howard, Kevin Morby and electronic musician Jon Hopkins.
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Stipe’s appearance was particularly significant given his longstanding relationship with the Dessner brothers. In 2020, he collaborated with Aaron Dessner on “No Time For Love Like Now,” released under Dessner’s Big Red Machine project, which also features The National’s Bryce Dessner. Stipe and Aaron later performed the song together on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Billed as The National and Friends, the concert is expected to feature additional special guests and collaborators. It is also set to be the band’s only full-band performance of 2026.
Meanwhile, Stipe continues work on his long-awaited debut solo album. The former R.E.M. frontman released the spoken-word track “Hum Desiderata” in July and has previously expressed hope that his solo record will arrive before the end of 2026. For fans of both artists, the surprise performance of “E-Bow The Letter” was a reminder of the enduring connections that can develop between musicians across generations. By revisiting one of R.E.M.’s most distinctive songs in the company of longtime friends, Stipe and The National transformed a birthday celebration into a memorable moment of musical history.
Photo Credit: Alyssa Fried
