Actor/singer Michael Shannon and guitarist Jason Narducy had so much fun performing R.E.M.’s Murmur on tour this year that they’re heading back on the road in 2025 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the group’s Fables of the Reconstruction. The duo will be backed by Wilco bassist John Stirratt, Bob Mould/Mountain Goats drummer Jon Wurster, guitarist Dag Juhlin and keyboardist Vijay Tellis-Nayak on the trek, which begins Feb. 12 in Pioneertown, Ca.
“Last May, I was painting a garage with my son, Sean, and I saw that Michael Shannon was coming to town. Over the last 10 years, he and I have played shows where we cover an entire album,” the Chicago-based Narducy told SPIN earlier this year about the origin of the R.E.M. tour concept. “We had just done the Modern Lovers at SPACE in Evanston. I asked him if he wanted to do another show while he was in Chicago. He said sure, but what? I suggested Murmur because it was the 40th anniversary of its release. We played at Metro and not only was it a total fucking blast but we started getting offers from venues around the country. It hadn’t even occurred to us to play shows outside of Chicago. It all fell together quickly after that, thankfully.”
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“I had never done a tour before. Now itʼs all I want to do,” Shannon says now. “Iʼm happy this one is twice as long. The last one was too short. This music is beyond comprehension and I cherish every chance I get to deliver it, even second generation. R.E.M. means the world to me. And this band led by Jason is stone cold ridiculous. Even if I never walked onstage, you would get a hell of a show.”
Narducy says the upcoming shows will open with Fables performed in sequence, followed by some “deep” R.E.M. back catalog selections. “Each show will have unique setlists,” he reports. “We love celebrating the music of this great band.”
The Murmur run was highlighted in February by the first appearance of R.E.M.’s four original members in one place in 17 years at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Ga. Reprising his performance from the Murmur studio version, drummer Bill Berry played piano on “Perfect Circle” with Peter Buck joining on guitar, and the latter also guested on “So. Central Rain,” “Letter Never Sent” and “Don’t Go Back to Rockville.” Bassist Mike Mills sang on “Rockville” as well as “Pretty Persuasion,” “Second Guessing” and “These Days,” reprising a guest appearance he made with Shannon and Narducy at the original Metro show.
Frontman Michael Stipe did not perform, but during a midway break in the show, he and the other three R.E.M. members joined the band on stage to say thanks. “We are so fucking thrilled to be here tonight,” he enthused. The upcoming tour will visit the 40 Watt again for a two-night run on Feb. 27-28.
Here are Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy’s tour dates:
Fri. Feb. 14 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & HarrietsSat. Feb. 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ BellwetherSun. Feb. 16 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly UpTue. Feb. 18 – San Francisco, CA @ The FillmoreFri. Feb. 21 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune TheatreSat. Feb. 22 – Portland, OR @ Revolution HallMon. Feb. 24 – Indianapolis, IN @ The VogueTue. Feb. 25 – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar HallThu. Feb. 27-28 – Athens, GA @ 40 WattSat. March 1 – Carrboro, NC @ Catʼs CradleMon. March 3 – Richmond, VA @ The NationalTue. March 4 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 ClubThu. March 6 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union TransferFri. March 7 – Boston, MA @ RoyaleSat. March 8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn SteelWed. March 12 – Minneapolis, MN @ First AveThu. March 13 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall BallroomFri. March 14 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
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