Post by unplugged on Feb 7, 2007 9:06:30 GMT
SPECULATION is mounting that rock giants REM could make a shock appearance at a county music festival.
Robyn Hitchcock and The Venus 3, featuring REM member Peter Buck, has been lined up to perform at the three-day Wychwood Music Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse from June 1 to 3.
And when the band was joined by fellow REM legends Mike Mills and Michael Stipe at a gig in Oxford on Sunday, it fuelled rumours that the festival could welcome the band.
Although organisers said they couldn’t confirm an appearance, they admitted it wasn’t “out of the realms of possibility”.
Sunday’s show, at the Zodiac venue, saw the band perform four songs, including a guitar-only version of Electrolite and Byrds standard Eight Miles High. One fan said the audience – which also included Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke – was stunned when the band appeared during the encore.
“They played four songs, none of their hits, but it sounded really great,” she said.
“There were only about 200 people there so it was an amazing moment.
“Robyn Hitchcock was really funny as well and they all seemed great friends.”
Also performing in Robyn Hitchcock and The Venus 3 are musicians Scott McCaughey and Bill Rieflin, who have regularly appeared on REM recordings.
A spokeswoman for the festival said: “We can’t confirm the possibility of Mr Stipe turning up at Wychwood 2007, but it isn’t out of the realms of possibility as we saw with his surprise appearance at the Oxford gig.”
Originally formed in Athens, Georgia, REM enjoyed chart success with hits such as Shiny Happy People and Everybody Hurts.
Their appearance would be another boost for the festival, which has received widespread praise from the music press since it began in 2005 and has already announced the Levellers as main stage headliners on June 1.
Featuring a wide range of music, the event is fast becoming the county’s largest music festival.
Tickets for the event – priced £95 for adults, £75 for those aged between 12 and 18 and free to anyone younger when accompanied by an adult – are available from www.wychwoodfestival.co.uk.
Robyn Hitchcock and The Venus 3, featuring REM member Peter Buck, has been lined up to perform at the three-day Wychwood Music Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse from June 1 to 3.
And when the band was joined by fellow REM legends Mike Mills and Michael Stipe at a gig in Oxford on Sunday, it fuelled rumours that the festival could welcome the band.
Although organisers said they couldn’t confirm an appearance, they admitted it wasn’t “out of the realms of possibility”.
Sunday’s show, at the Zodiac venue, saw the band perform four songs, including a guitar-only version of Electrolite and Byrds standard Eight Miles High. One fan said the audience – which also included Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke – was stunned when the band appeared during the encore.
“They played four songs, none of their hits, but it sounded really great,” she said.
“There were only about 200 people there so it was an amazing moment.
“Robyn Hitchcock was really funny as well and they all seemed great friends.”
Also performing in Robyn Hitchcock and The Venus 3 are musicians Scott McCaughey and Bill Rieflin, who have regularly appeared on REM recordings.
A spokeswoman for the festival said: “We can’t confirm the possibility of Mr Stipe turning up at Wychwood 2007, but it isn’t out of the realms of possibility as we saw with his surprise appearance at the Oxford gig.”
Originally formed in Athens, Georgia, REM enjoyed chart success with hits such as Shiny Happy People and Everybody Hurts.
Their appearance would be another boost for the festival, which has received widespread praise from the music press since it began in 2005 and has already announced the Levellers as main stage headliners on June 1.
Featuring a wide range of music, the event is fast becoming the county’s largest music festival.
Tickets for the event – priced £95 for adults, £75 for those aged between 12 and 18 and free to anyone younger when accompanied by an adult – are available from www.wychwoodfestival.co.uk.