Here’s something you don’t see everyday: a nervous Bill Murray.
We all know Bill Murray as an accomplished and brilliant comedic actor who has graced the stage and screen for decades. He has also demonstrated his musical talents as a lounge crooner belting out “Star Wars” on SNL, performing readings of Whitman and Hemingway on stage with the Chicago symphony orchestra accompanied by German cellist Jan Vogler, and hopping on stage with the Blood Brothers during the annual Murray Brothers golf outing which ultimately became the genesis of the current Bill Murray and his Blood Brothers tour.
The original Blood Brothers band consists of two incredible blues guitar veterans, Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia.
They were joined on stage at the sold out Thalia Hall in Chicago by guitarist Jimmy Vivino (band leader on the Conan O’Brien show); “Soul Doctor” Jimmy Carpenter on sax; Lewis Stephens on keyboards; Scott Sutherland on bass; and Matthew Johnson & Ryan Hangen on drums.
Emcee Chris Barnes kicked off the show with his energized version of Pat Travers’ “Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights).”
Blood Brothers Zito and Castiglia traded off lead vocals on the first few songs, with Murray supporting the band on percussion (congas, shaker, and cowbell) and back-up vocals.
Bill Murray is a dynamic entertainer but as he exclaimed to the audience when he finally took center stage: “I’m not a professional singer, any one of you could sing behind this band.” You could see he was a bit uneasy taking the role of lead singer in his first full national rock/blues band tour, as demonstrated when he missed the cue for his first song. With his undeniable charm, he quickly stopped the band and turned it into an audience participation moment by having the sold out audience finger snap to the beat of the song as he quickly fired the band back up again.
Murray’s nerves calmed, and his passion for music ultimately shone through as he sang. When he performed Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” you could feel that he had settled in and really felt comfortable on the mic.
Murray sang about a half a dozen songs during the performance, including The Kinks’ “Tired of Waiting,” Paul Butterfield’s “Born in Chicago,” and Wilson Pickett’s “Midnight Hour.”
Ultimately, at the end of the 90-minute set, the fans were treated to a collective of extremely talented musicians performing an eclectic mix of rock, soul, and blues classics by their beloved Chicago hometown hero, Bill Murray.
Images: © Michael Lepek for American Blues Scene
