R.E.M. famously only performed a single concert in support of  Automatic For the People, a benefit for Greenpeace at the 40 Watt Club in the band’s hometown of Athens, Ga., on Nov. 19, 1992. Audio from that show, previously issued as B-sides, is included as a bonus on the band’s recent Automatic reissue.

Police in Athens, Ga., this week arrested a former contractor accused of stealing $20,000 in audio gear from the 40 Watt Club, a burglary that had drawn offers of more than $15,000 in rewards from members of R.E.M., Camper Van Beethoven and others. The gear has been recovered, police said.

The legendary 40 Watt Club in Athens, Ga. — an early home base for college-rock mainstays R.E.M., The B-52s, Pylon, Love Tractor, Guadalcanal Diary and more — was burglarized Friday, with dozens of pieces of equipment stolen related to the venue’s PA system. Members of R.E.M. and Cracker have offered rewards.

R.E.M. famously didn’t tour behind its two best-selling albums — 1991’s ‘Out of Time’ and 1992’s ‘Automatic For the People’ — but the band did play a single concert in support of the latter record, a Greenpeace benefit at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Ga., exactly 20 years ago tonight.

Retired drummer Bill Berry and bassman Mike Mills jumped onstage last night with Peter Buck and the rest of The Minus 5 for a near-reunion […]