Bill Murray brought the house down at Thalia Hall in Chicago on Saturday night, but not before it had to pause its blues concert for an 11th-hour sports delay. The surprise twist came as fans in attendance found themselves treated to a live football game instead of music - a decision that many would argue was probably for the best given the urgency and excitement surrounding the Bears' playoff push.
Instead of taking their seats, fans were seated behind large projection screens set up behind preset drum kits, broadcasting the thrilling nail-biter to anyone within sight. The crowd erupted in cheers as Bill Murray took the stage alongside his new bandmates Albert Castiglia, Mike Zito, and multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Vivino - a group that has been making waves since 2022 but saw an exciting upgrade with Murray's 2024 addition.
As they launched into their setlist of covers and originals, Murray proved that his vocal chops extend far beyond the screen. Whether tackling iconic tracks like Warren Zevon's 'Werewolves of London' or classic blues staples by Little Walter, Murray seamlessly transitioned from background percussionist to frontman, commanding attention with every strum of guitar.
The eight-member ensemble featuring Vivino brought together a thunderous sound that delved deep into Chicago and Delta blues traditions. From scorching originals like Zito/Castiglia's "Tooth and Nail" to soulful covers such as Prince's 'Little Red Corvette,' the group left no stone unturned in their quest for musical perfection.
However, even Murray couldn't resist injecting his on-stage antics - and, of course, cowbell. The crowd responded with a chant that echoed through Thalia Hall: "More cowbell!" This unexpected request brought laughter from both the band and audience as Castiglia slid back into the background while Vivino took center stage for an unforgettable saxophone solo.
With 11 songs complete, Murray led the crowd in a rousing rendition of Bob Dylan's 'Like A Rolling Stone,' capturing a moment that epitomized the joy and camaraderie found within this special Chicago celebration.
Instead of taking their seats, fans were seated behind large projection screens set up behind preset drum kits, broadcasting the thrilling nail-biter to anyone within sight. The crowd erupted in cheers as Bill Murray took the stage alongside his new bandmates Albert Castiglia, Mike Zito, and multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Vivino - a group that has been making waves since 2022 but saw an exciting upgrade with Murray's 2024 addition.
As they launched into their setlist of covers and originals, Murray proved that his vocal chops extend far beyond the screen. Whether tackling iconic tracks like Warren Zevon's 'Werewolves of London' or classic blues staples by Little Walter, Murray seamlessly transitioned from background percussionist to frontman, commanding attention with every strum of guitar.
The eight-member ensemble featuring Vivino brought together a thunderous sound that delved deep into Chicago and Delta blues traditions. From scorching originals like Zito/Castiglia's "Tooth and Nail" to soulful covers such as Prince's 'Little Red Corvette,' the group left no stone unturned in their quest for musical perfection.
However, even Murray couldn't resist injecting his on-stage antics - and, of course, cowbell. The crowd responded with a chant that echoed through Thalia Hall: "More cowbell!" This unexpected request brought laughter from both the band and audience as Castiglia slid back into the background while Vivino took center stage for an unforgettable saxophone solo.
With 11 songs complete, Murray led the crowd in a rousing rendition of Bob Dylan's 'Like A Rolling Stone,' capturing a moment that epitomized the joy and camaraderie found within this special Chicago celebration.
just think about it, bill murray takes over thalia hall mid concert for a sports delay lol what else you gonna do? 
but seriously, he brought so much energy to his performance with that band and his cowbell antics had everyone in stitches 
it's great to see artists like bill Murray taking their passion to new heights (or in this case, new screens 
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I'm still trying to process how they just switched from live music to a sports delay, but you know what? I think it kinda worked out in the end! 
Bill Murray brought so much energy to the stage that even the pre-recorded game couldn't compete with his performance. And let's be real, who needs live music when you can watch the Bears make history on screen?! 
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I was literally screaming my lungs out when he did "Werewolves of London"!!! And the cowbell tho... I know it's a classic but still, it never gets old 
. But seriously, the whole setlist was fire and I loved how they mixed blues and rock to create this unique sound 
And Albert Castiglia's guitar playing is 
. I'm still on a Bill Murray high from last nite, can someone please get him to do another show in Chicago ASAP? 
! I mean, who expects to be watching a live football game instead of music? 
haha, I was totally expecting him to get booed off stage for that one 
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he's got some serious vocals going on too, i loved the little ditty "Tooth and Nail" by Zito/Castiglia 
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those blues riffs are fire 
? the whole vibe of that concert was just infectious 
. Murray's got some serious pipes on him too - his vocals are so smooth 
. The crowd was loving every minute of it, singing along to 'Little Red Corvette' in the background while cheering on the Bears 
. Who needs a football game when you've got Bill Murray and his band playing live? 
. And the sax solo? FORGET ABOUT IT 
. That sports delay turned into an unforgettable experience for everyone involved! It shows us that even when plans go awry, we can roll with the punches & find joy in the unexpected twists 
. And let's be real, cowbell is life-changing 
. It's all about finding that perfect harmony between chaos and serendipity. We should all take a cue from Murray's spontaneity & not be afraid to go with the flow 
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. It was like the perfect Chicago party, with blues and football mashup 
, just saw that Bill Murray's concert got delayed by sports... like, what's next? A news alert about a zombie apocalypse while we're watching the football game live at our local pub?! 
And can you believe they had to sit down instead of dancing to watch the game? I mean, who thought it was a good idea to pause music for football? 
The crowd went wild when he busted out cowbell (I mean who doesn't love cowbell?) and it was just one of those nights where everything came together. Plus, seeing Murray command the stage like that? It's a whole different level of cool. 