Michael Stipe covers The Doors, John Lennon during surprise performance

NEW YORK, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe surprised fans during a Patti Smith concert when he opened the show performing covers of classic songs.

Stipe took the stage Tuesday at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, Pitchfork reports, where he performed covers from a range of artists including Neil Young's "Old Man", The Doors' "People are Strange", Dave Berry's "The Crying Game", John Lennon's "Imagine" and David Bowie/Mott The Hoople's "All the Young Dudes."

Stipe was also seen dancing onstage with Smith during her song "People Have the Power." Last year in December, the 55-year-old singer pulled a similar stunt opening for a Smith concert at Webster Hall where he covered Perfume Genius' 2012 single "Hood." That performance was Stipe's first-ever solo set since R.E.M. disbanded in 2011.

R.E.M. and Stipe last made headlines in September after the band did not approve of presidential hopeful Donald Trump using their song "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" during a rally against President Obama and the nuclear deal with Iran.

Stipe slammed Trump for the use of the song through the band's bassist Mike Mills' Twitter page writing, "Go [expletive] yourselves, the lot of you -- you sad, attention-grabbing, power-hungry little men," he said. "Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign."