Bill Murray covers Bob Dylan and The Kinks on first tour stops
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(Credits: Alamy)
Although he is best known for his extensive work in television and film as one of America’s premier comedic actors, Bill Murray’s talents have always been multifaceted. In recent years, the veteran performer has embraced his life-long love of music, releasing the album New Worlds in 2017. Now, Murray has embarked on a short American tour that will see him perform classic songs by The Kinks and Bob Dylan.
Music has always been an intrinsic aspect of Murray’s career, from his role as a lounge singer on Saturday Night Live to the constant presence of David Bowie in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. This recent tour alongside blues outfit Blood Brothers reflects the actor’s lasting adoration of music, so it should come as no surprise that his performances have been chock full of classic songs.
Kicking off the tour last Friday, January 3rd, at Thalia Hall in Chicago, the 74-year-old comedian treated audiences to renditions of timeless tracks like The Kinks’ ‘Tired of Waiting’ and Bob Dylan’s ‘Like A Rolling Stone’. Elsewhere in the set, Murray also took on Wilson Pickett, performing the 1965 R&B classic ‘In the Midnight Hour’.
In typical Bill Murray fashion, the comedian threw some curveballs into the set, too. For instance, the synth-led ‘Little Red Corvette’ by Prince was given the blues treatment by Blood Brothers, with Murray sitting at the back of the stage for portions of the performance.
Of course, the Illinois-born actor could not have performed in Chicago without paying tribute to the ‘Windy City’. During one of the most notable parts of the performance, Murray donned a Chicago Blackhawks hockey jersey, launching into a rendition of ‘Born in Chicago’ by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.
Following on from two nights at Thalia Hall, Murray and Blood Brothers are heading to the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, where they are set to perform two nights at the end of January. Elsewhere, a handful of performances are scattered across February, March, and April, seeing the comedian travel all over the United States.
Whether Murray will adapt his setlists from gig to gig or stick with his reliable repertoire of classic covers remains to be seen. However, fan-shot videos from Chicago appear to show the elder statesman of American comedy thoroughly enjoying being on stage and sharing his life-long love of music with audiences across the nation.
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