A new wave of "Bluephoria"

I don't remember exactly how I got introduced to Blue Man Group. It was probably 2004 or 2005 though, and I remember getting The Complex Rock Tour Live DVD. Like any undiagnosed person with ASD, I'm sure the obsession annoyed others. That DVD also helped me discover Venus Hum, which I love and still treasure their Christmas Album. It also helped me get reacquainted with Tracy Bonham. Her Blink The Brightest came into my life early the next year and helped me through some really tough times.

In 2006 I saw my first show at The Venetian in Las Vegas, and I acquired music in the form of The Complex and Live From The Venetian. That year I also saw the arena tour, and then twice more the next year. Tracy was even on the first of those passes through Cleveland. I'd see the Vegas show twice more, and Diana and I got to see the Chicago show. The Orlando show at Universal opened I think in 2006 also, and my former girlfriend Catherine and I saw the first public show, in the first row, sitting next to the then-president of Universal Orlando. We would see that show a bunch more times, including the second-to-last show before the COVID shutdown. All through this time, especially as a young kid, Simon enjoyed watching the How To Be A Megastar concert DVD. I was sad when it didn't return to Orlando.

Fast forward to 2026, and Diana happens to see an opening for various roles at a new show starting in Orlando. All but the Vegas show have since closed, and Cirque du Soleil is now the owner of the company. She's ready for a change, after more than 11 years at our amazing performing arts center, and unsurprisingly, she gets the role as box office supervisor. When she joins, just a few weeks ago, they're still doing off-site rehearsals and getting the new theater ready. Earlier this week, we got to see two preview performances, and today is the first public show. I'm jealous about the culture and cooperation that goes into something like this, and she's happier at work than I've seen her in a long time.

I don't know to what extent I'll get to see shows or maybe learn about the lighting tech that I'm so obsessed with, but even being at arms length to something that I've been so into for 20 years is insanely exciting. At the second preview, I sat all the way in the back and just took in as much as I could about everything (with earplugs, as other factors seemed to make me extra sensitive that day). I could see lighting cues in my head, and how I'd program them (on MA3, though they're apparently an ETC Hog house).

In any case, this is the best of the stage shows, even without the scale that the Venetian show had. My reasoning is that this one has really long sections of music, which I like more than the various bits they do. One of the times they pull someone up on stage is to play with them, and it's gotta be one of the best things ever. There's not a person in the audience who wouldn't want to beat on something with a Blue Man. It's also some of their best music, starting with "Above," a classic like "PVC IV," and newer ones like "The Forge" and "Giacometti." But my favorite of all time is "Chant Jam" (dating back to The Venetian) which transitions you into the finale. It's so good.

I definitely needs these shows this week.