Bill Murray and his Blood Brothers took over The Pageant in St. Louis on Saturday night for a sold-out show that was nothing short of unforgettable. The crowd? Electric. The vibe? Totally unpredictable, just like you’d expect from Bill Murray.
The night kicked off with Dave Hill, who delivered a comedic and musical one-two punch. He’s got this hilarious, dry stage presence that had the audience in stitches. One minute, he was shredding on guitar, the next, he was making fun of himself and getting the crowd to chant his name. It was a great, quirky appetizer for the madness that was about to follow.
After that, Chris “Badnews” Barnes and the crew revved things up with a couple of high-energy blues rock songs. Then, blues legends Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia took over, leading a full-blown revival of the genre. The stage was stacked with talent: dual drummers, a rock-solid bassist, a smoky keyboardist, and a saxophonist who could melt your soul. And let’s not forget Jimmy Vivino, the musical director from Conan O’Brien’s band, bringing his signature flavor to the mix.
But of course, everyone was waiting for the star of the night: Bill Murray. Now, if you were expecting a big, dramatic entrance—well, that’s not really Bill’s style. He didn’t exactly command the front of the stage, but he did show up in his own laid-back, chaotic way. The crowd felt a bit deflated at first, but Bill didn’t mind. He gravitated to the back of the stage, where he manned bongos, a tambourine, and, of course, the cowbell. Let’s be real—he wasn’t there to steal the show, but to add his own goofy nervous energy to the mix. This was a bunch of grown dudes who wanted to jam and tour the states.
Despite the late hour (seriously, who stays up past 9pm these days?), the energy was high, especially when they hit a groove. Bill was on stage all night but only fronted about five songs, letting the talented musicians take the spotlight while still adding his signature vibe to the jam. The highlight? When they broke into Johnny B. Goode—the crowd went absolutely wild. The love for Chuck Berry was palpable in the air, and it felt right, being in St. Louis, to pay tribute to a hometown hero.
At the end of the day, this wasn’t about seeing Bill Murray become a rock star. It was about the music, the energy, and that perfect blend of chaos and camaraderie. It wasn’t perfect—but it sure was memorable.
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Melissa O’Rourke aka WickedWitchofSTL is a jack of all trades. By day she’s an established tattooist and piercer, by night a mother to her amazing son (who is a hell of a guitarist). Melissa has a musical background and can often be found at a local karaoke joint, or a concert when she’s not driving across the country for an adventure. This social butterfly always welcomes conversation so come say hi! See y’all at the next gig!
