Bill Murray shows up, sings and slays at Las Vegas blues event

During his years on “Saturday Night Live,” Bill Murray portrayed Nick the lounge singer. “Star Waaaaars, nothing but Star Waaaaars,” was one of Nick’s go-to songs.

Nick was a Vegas-styled lounge lizard, and a character for all time. But late Wednesday wasn’t that time.

Murray showed up unbilled during the first night of Big Blues Bender at the Westgate’s International Theater. Closing the show for a packed opening-night hang, Murray joined his buddies and fellow Chicagoans Blood Brothers featuring Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia, along with The Bender Brass horn section.

Bill Murray’s rollicking gperformance ⁦@WestgateVegas⁩ International Theater to kick off Big Blues Bender. The@event for the HART Party, raising $107,000 for blues musicians’ medical, dental and funeral costs. Column upcoming. ⁦@reviewjournal⁩ pic.twitter.com/uVgxUL1S5z

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) September 5, 2024

Murray sauntered out unannounced, as the crowd’s applause grew as it realized who was joining the party.

“Mike, Al, would you mind if I sang a couple?” Murray said, interrupting what was presented as the musicians’ good-night to the crowd.

Castiglia joked that he hoped this walk-on turned out better than the time a notorious hoops star joined the band at a show in Florida.

“This is gonna be damn better than when Dennis Rodman sat in with me 10 years ago, in Fort Lauderdale,” Castiglia said. “I seriously considered a career change after that. It was Pearl Jam, and ‘We Want the Funk.’ It ran for 45 minutes, and he gave me a noogie.”

So Murray followed with a noogie of his own, knocking the rocker’s head with his knuckles.

The comic actor then tore through The Beatles (and before that, Larry Williams’) “Slow Down,” and Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.” The crowd stood for the Dylan classic, shouting back, “Like a rolling stone!” as Murray waved his arms, pumped his fists and screamed the lyrics.

The show was a fundraiser for The Chair of Blues Foundation HART (Handy Artist Relief Trust) Party to help blues musicians offset medical, dental and funeral expenses. The performance and auction raised $107,000.

Bill Murray summons Dylan @WestgateVegas International Theater to kick off Big Blues Bender. The@event for the HART Party, raising $107,000 for blues musicians’ medical, dental and funeral costs. Column upcoming. @reviewjournal pic.twitter.com/JCnXA6h1tv

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) September 5, 2024

The formal Big Blues Bender runs Thursday through Sunday on four Westgate stages. Such blues greats as Trombone Shorty, Los Lobos, Beth Hart and Tab Benoit are among the headliners. In its 10th year, the event has once again sold out.

As Big Blues Bender Executive Producer AJ Gross said after Murray shut it down at International, “The show is a taste of what Big Blues Bender is all about.” And Nick can take the weekend off.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.