Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit Keep Rolling Out R.E.M. Covers At The Ryman

Consistent themes have developed four shows into Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit’s eight-show residency at The Ryman Auditorium. Halfway through this year’s annual run at the historic Nashville venue and each night has featured an R.E.M. cover at the onset of the encore — and there have been lasers.

Opening night saw bandleader Jason Isbell go sans guitar for a performance of R.E.M.’s hit “Losing My Religion.” The second show’s encore kicked off with R.E.M.’s “Driver 8,” which has been a part of Isbell’s live repertoire since covering the song for the 2021 covers compilation Georgia Blue.

Show three on Saturday saw the inclusion of R.E.M.’s “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It” at the start of the encore. Isbell performed “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It” in June when he inducted R.E.M. into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the ceremony where R.E.M. reunited onstage to perform publicly together for the first time in 17 years.

Last night, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit played the fourth show of this year’s Ryman residency. The encore again began with an R.E.M. cover, with the band delivering their take on “The One I Love.” Isbell recently performed “The One I Love” with R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe at a campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit’s Ryman residency resumes on Thursday, October 17. Watch audience-shot video footage of this weekend’s R.E.M. covers below: