I didn't give or get a lot for Christmas this year, which is absolutely fine given the financial constraints that me and my family are living under these days. (Although not having to go to a crappy job that I don't like, however poor it makes me, is the greatest gift of all.) Still, one of the coolest things I got was the Blue Man Group DVD from their rock tour. Stephanie snagged it right off my wish list.
The performance is basically The Complex album live from 2003. Musically, I think the appeal of the group is that they get really good guests and there's just a ton of percussion. The live show had three percussionists, plus the main drummer, two guitars, bass, keyboards, several vocalists, plus the three Blue Men themselves.
Tracy Bonham appears for vocals on a number of songs, including one of my favorites, "Up To The Roof." Honestly I don't know a ton about her other than the fact that she was on Lilith Fair. I get the impression she's very acoustic kind of girl, which is what made her tour with Blue Man kind of odd.
Venus Hum, my current pet band, also makes an appearance for the cover of "I Feel Love." The lead singer is absolutely adorable, and it's nothing short of amazing that so much sound comes out of someone so little.
Also cool is the Exhibit 13. It's about documents that blew into a Brooklyn neighborhood, obviously around 9/11. I think what makes it so powerful is that it makes no statement about the event at all. It only gets you thinking about the things one would think about if they found these pieces of paper themselves that day.
Even though they don't perform the music from the album at the live shows around the world, I still really look forward to seeing them someday, perhaps in Las Vegas. I don't really see them so much as a performance art troupe as much as I think there are good musicians under that blue stuff. When you can get Dave Matthews and Gavin Rossdale to appear on your album, you're obviously on to something.
Anyway, it's kind of an old DVD, but I really dig it. I wish I would've had the chance to see the show when it toured, and I hope that they do something like that again.
You have good taste. :)
I picked up that particular DVD at Media Play a few years ago, and was extremely impressed considering that I had no idea what the Blue Man Group was about beforehand. The music is good enough to listen to on its own, yet the interaction between the characters and the set, instruments, and audience makes it a visual treat.
I was seriously considering reserving tickets for their show in Las Vegas when we go in January, but opted to see a preview performance of Cirque du Soleil's KA instead. Given the amount of sell-outs for the Complex tour, I'd be surprised if the BMG *didn't* develop another traveling show.
I have that DVD as well, but then I've been a fan of Blue Man Group for a LONG time. I saw the first production of Blue Man when it was ONLY in New York, and I've been a fan ever since...
The Vegas show is awesome. I missed the rock tour, but really wish I'd seen it. I also want to see the Chicago and Boston productions, and for that matter wouldn't mind seeing the New York production again. In an ideal world I'd ALSO see the Berlin one just to be a completist, but that's a lot less likely...