Dan Aykroyd and James Belushi will perform at the Old Joliet Prison in Joliet, Illinois, on Aug. 19 as part of an elaborate Blues Brothers Con at the historic site.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Joliet Area Historical Museum, reported The Herald-News.
“He [Dan Aykroyd] made a significant donation of his time to come out and do this performance,” Greg Peerbolte, CEO of the Joliet Area Historical Museum, said. “He’s already extended the city a great deal of his own personal generosity. We’re really excited and touched by that.”
Aykroyd and Belushi’s performance highlights the museum’s inaugural Blues Brothers Con, a two-day event Aug. 19 and 20 that will include a free screening of “The Blue Brothers” 1980 film the night of Aug. 20, as well as entertainment and food.
Aykroyd is an original member of The Blues Brothers. The other original member, John Belushi, died in 1982. His brother, James, replaced him in the act years later.
Aykroyd and John Belushi found fame during “Saturday Night Live” performances as The Blues Brothers and later in “The Blues Brothers” movie, which featured the Joliet prison in a key early scene and was filmed all over the Chicagoland area. The prison remains a popular photo-op for Route 66 travelers.
The prison will contain different Blues Brothers movie experiences, including Maxwell Street and Bob’s Country Bunker, derived from scenes in the movie. It also will host blues performers and an ecumenical service to pay tribute to the Triple Rock Baptist Church portrayed in the film.
The convention also will hold a Bluesmobile car show. Organizers are encouraging attendees to dress up in “Blues Brothers” costumes.
Tickets are $60 for two-day passes for adults and $20 for children. It also has VIP packages available. Tickets can be purchased from the museum or the prison.
The prison’s limestone walls were built in 1858, and the state of Illinois closed it in 2004. The city signed a lease with the state to use the prison for tours and other development possibilities.
(Promotional image from the Blues Brothers Con at Old Joliet Prison)