The Blue Side of Me
"Live at Luxor," Luxor Theater, 06/22/00
So you want to learn more about Blue Man Group, hmmm?
"Blue Man Group? Who are they?"
"Oh come on, you still haven't told me who/what Blue Man Group is/are!"
"Get to the point already!!!"
"OK, now it's picking up pace, but you STILL haven't told me who the heck BMG is!"
"Finally! But come on now, silouhettes?"
"A few points?!?! You took this long to get to the good part and you're only going to 'touch on' a 'few points'?!"
"Fine, hurry up and finish the dang story."
"Sorry. Would you please tell me more, oh gorgeous and talented and smart and funny person who is so much more worthy of anything than I am?"
"Not once? That's strange."Not once. And yes, it is strange. That's part of what makes the skits so funny. And by the way, you seem to be interrupting me more often now. You let me say a lot in each stretch before, what's your problem?
"Sorry, I'll be good. But, skits? Like what?"
"By "ordinary objects" you mean food, I assume. Sounds like they play with their food a lot."
"Do they do anything else?"
"Oh yeah, you said something about their music earlier, didn't you?"
"Can you sing along with it?"
"Wow, Blue Man Group sure is interesting. Is there anything else you can tell me about the show?"
"What the heck is that supposed to mean?"
"What are you talking about?!?!?"
"Where can I go for more information, since you are deserting me?"
"You are strange."
Good for you. You are that much cooler for wanting to read this page. Why? Because Blue Man Group is the coolest! Perhaps after reading this you'll want to see Blue Man Group perform or even buy their CD, or better yet, become a devoted fan like I am! Anyways, enough with my little pep talk. On to my little story. Heh... But, if you really have never seen the show, I wouldn't suggest reading this, because it outlines some things you could expect in a BMG show--and it's so much fun to just not know what the hell is going on. However, if you'd like to read about my first BMG experience (put together in a strange format), read on.
Here's how I found out. Ahhhh, the memories. Anyhow. As of June 22nd, 2000, I hadn't the slightest clue who or what Blue Man Group was, and had never heard of them in my life. My family was in Las Vegas for a few days because of a national optometric convention (my dad is an optometrist), which is in a different city each year. We don't go every year but decided to go to this one since it was in Vegas. But enough of the boring details. On the 22nd, we had decided to go to the "Tournament of Kings" dinner show at the Excalibur hotel, which is on the other end of the strip from where we were staying (The Venetian). We decided to walk. "Why not, it doesn't look that far", we thought. Hah. It turns out the signs in Vegas are so huge that it makes everything look a lot closer than it really is. So we walked all the way to the Excalibur and found the show we'd been planning to see sold out. Lucky us, huh? Ironically, we were lucky (or at least I was), because, over dinner, we decided to see "Blue Man Group: Live at Luxor" at 10:00 pm instead, since the Luxor is right next to the Excalibur. So, we walked over to the Luxor for the show...
Hold your horses. I'm getting there. Actually, I pretty much am there. I just said we walked over for the show, right? Right. So don't go getting all impatient on me. Simmer down, Stickly. OK, where was I? Oh right, the show. Since we'd never heard of BMG before, we went into the theater, having no idea whatsoever what to expect. All we knew was that it was supposed to be a show with three bald blue guys that is great for teens. We were shown our seats and given a strip of crepe paper each. This is where we started getting these "what the...?" looks on our faces.
Relax. I am. So here we are, in this big theater, wondering what the heck is going to happen to us. Haha. Finally, the lights go down and the show starts. Sort of. An LED starts scrolling text, the "speaker's" words looking close to sarcastic, but with a different tone. It "points out" certain audience members and tells the rest of the audience to talk to them. For example, it tells the audience to wish someone a happy birthday. ("Let's all speak happy birthday to _____. No singing please. Just speak it.") It also spells out some other amusing things, making everyone laugh and get pumped up for the performance. I won't tell you what they are, although I know a quite a few quotes, just so I won't ruin it for anyone who might see the show.
I know, I know. I tend to ramble. But you know, you'll have to put up with it to find out what you want to know. Aren't I nice? Anyways. Finally, a chord strikes and all of a sudden, up on the stage, there is a huge screen, which shows... (get ready, get set, this is what you've been waiting for...) three silouhettes. It is one blue man, however, and he is holding a horizontal rod, making it whip through the air with a "satisfying 'swoosh'". The sound system is loud at first but grows louder as the view on the screen switches to show two more silouhettes playing other instruments. More and more instruments build up to an amazing climax, and you know the show has really begun. The music booms through the seats and through you, leaving you overwhelmed for the moment (or at least I was). When the song is over, the audience is ready for the show, hooked already.
Who said I was done yet? Sit back and enjoy the, uh, read. Yeah, the read. Sit back and enjoy the read. Anywho, I suppose I did a pretty lame job of trying to describe the music and energy that builds up in the beginning of the show. But give me a break, it's close to impossible to describe. So you'll have to go see for yourself. Again, I don't want to ruin the show for anyone cool enough to go see it, so I'll just touch on a few significant points of it from now on.
I know, I'm a monster, aren't I? But really now, it's hard to explain Blue Man. At least I'm taking the time to write this up at all. You should be thankful. Now are you going to read the rest, or not? Because I'll just stop typing right now if you're not.
Well if you going to say it like that, I think I won't. I don't feel like you really appreciate me doing all of this for you.
That's better. Anyways, as I was saying... The show is a mish-mosh of unusual and hilarious skits, mixed in with incredibly moving and unique music. The blue men are three almost alien-like beings, with this special curiosity and innocence about them. And they never speak one word throughout the whole show.
I was just getting there. A few examples of the skits... Let's see. Well, there is one part where they take a girl from the audience to feast on Lite Twinkies with them. Yes, Lite Twinkies. I thought I'd make that clear before you go and interrupt again. Anyways, it's quite an amusing skit, I thought. Especially when the banana mush comes into play. Don't ask. And they also have fun with some Capt'n Crunch, actually making a crude form of music. And how could we forget the "marshmallows"? It's amazing to see how many of those things a Blue Man can catch and store in his mouth. It makes a rather lovely sculpture when it's done. Oh, and you gotta love that jello mold encased over an audience member's head. Not to mention the jello that is catapulted into the crowd. I would say the Blue Men are pretty good at turning ordinary objects into comedy.
They sure do. But they're allowed to do that. They're Blue Men.
Of course they do. Do you think Blue Man Group got a gig in Vegas for playing with their food for an hour and a half? I should hope not. Pardon me. I suppose that wasn't too dumb a question, considering you haven't seen the show. But to answer your question, yes. They make a spin art painting by spitting paint at a canvas, drum on barrels whose surfaces are covered with paint (and making a terrific splatter in the process). They also flip a set of three signs for the audience to read, but flip them too fast to read more than one poster or, sometimes, a whole single poster. On them is typed things like "There has been more information published in the past 30 years than in the last [century] before that", while another reads "Once again you have chosen the wrong poster to read. While others are getting important information you are reading the equivealent of junk mail.". They explain that it is modern plumbing (not the internet) that really connects us all. They stick a camera down an audience member's throat. And they also have a little "educational" section about vision, where they put learning to an incredible music bit.
Yes. Yes I did. Music is a big part of the Vegas show, in fact. The Blue Men have invented a few instruments of their own, including a PVC instrument that changes colors under neon light. And also a "tubulum", which is sort of like the PVC instrument but deeper. They also play "airpoles", which I mentioned earlier, in the opening. There is one section where a neon scene is shown and stick figures jump out of their landscape and on to the stage, to play "sword air poles". Ah, and no one can forget the drum wall. It is shown with the screen, in silouhette, as was the opening, and creates a fantastic cadence of drums. And oh yes, I almost forgot the drumbone. Shame on me. It's made of tubes and slides like a trombone, but beaten on like a drum. Therefore the name, if you didn't figure it out already. In short, the music literally rocks the theater.
Mmmmmhmmmm... So you were listening back then, were you? Interesting. Anyways, Blue Man Group has a CD out called "Audio". The music on it is similar to the music in the show, but enhanced because there is no limit to musicians or stage space on the CD. It also features a bunch of other original songs you don't hear in the show.
Yes: Don't worry, the paper is recycled.
You'll find out, if you go and see the show. Speaking of which, BMG has shows in not only Las Vegas, but Boston, Chicago, and New York City as well. The Vegas show is different from the other shows in some respects, but all of the shows have much of the same material. And the other shows are also in smaller theaters, which makes the show much more intimate. It's too bad the poncho people don't really get splattered very much.
Oh dear, am I frustrating you again? I apoligize. Heh. But anyhow, I think I've told you everything you should know. You probably still are confused as to what exactly Blue Man Group is, but you have to see them for yourself to understand. And even then you might still be puzzled. But if you can't get to a show, buy the CD, it's incredible.
Head over to the Official Blue Man Group Website or the Blue Man Library. Actually, you could have gone to the BMG website to begin with and found out this much information and more without having to listen to me. But this was somewhat entertaining anyways, I hope.
Thank you. Thank you very much.