Photo of Jeff Goldblum by Justin Staggs
I, like many other folks, have had a crush on Jeff Goldblum since The Big Chill. Or The Fly, or Jurassic Park(s). He’s had a celebrated career in films and memorable cameos and roles on television. He’s had a show that was all about his natural curiosity about the world around him. He’s just charming as hell.
As one of just ten American cities lucky enough to see Goldblum on his Night Blooms tour, the crowd at Powell Hall watched as Goldblum told stories, played piano, and sang beautifully to standards like “Mean to Me” and cinematic favorite “If I Only Had a Brain.” His voice is soft and steady. He sang songs from The Wizard of Oz as well as Wicked, in which he starred as the Wizard himself.
Charismatic, too, as he had some folks jumping to their feet to shake his hand and applaud him as he stepped up to the piano. It was so sweet to see. He was genuinely excited to make eye contact or wave with folks in the audience. He connected.
He also connected so well with our own St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. They were in rare form, and I even caught the violinists smiling. It was epic. Jeff Goldblum brought out the smiles in everyone in attendance. He also flirted with the audience as a whole. As I said, Charming.
Playing a mix of jazz and American standards, Goldblum and his orchestras carried us with them with stories, jokes, and uniquely flowing songs. A favorite was a song that was written just for our show, and it was all about St. Louis. They even managed to work toasted ravioli and Imo’s into the lyrics.
We were lucky to have singer Khailah Johnson join us for the Night Blooms tour. The Carnegie Mellon graduate did justice to “Misty,” the Taylor Swift song “Lover,” and “No Time to Die” by Billie Elilish. She and Goldblum connected across the piano and we all got to go along for the ride.
Our Symphony was playful and tight, and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra captivated with their songs and especially their solos. So good. One of Goldblum’s comments was “Wait ‘til you dig this sonic concoction.” We dug it.
The emotional intercourse that occurred between the musicians was top notch, covering joy and love and heartache all in one night.
The harpist for the SLSO, Grace Roepke, is alarmingly casual for someone who plays that beautifully, by the way. She transported us and gave me goosebumps.
Also, the renovations in the Powell Hall are absolutely stunning. The renovation ended in September 2025 and was worth the nearly $140 million dollar restoration. They preserved the beautiful plaster work and did something to the floor so that you can see better. The seating is amazing, and you should go just as soon as you can. | Melissa Cynova
