Step 1. Determine if The Complex Tour by The Blue Man Group is coming to your town.
Step 2. Buy tickets. NOW.
Step 3. Prepare to do “the basic head-bob,” “the one-armed fist pump,” and “the up and down jumping motion.” Often.
The Complex Tour is billed on their site as “a rock show that will allow Blue Man Group to push the boundaries of the rock concert experience.” It is so true. I’ve never been to one of their other shows, so I can’t compare it to those – but I thought that the show tonight was absolutely fantastic. The lights, the show, the music, the videos, it was amazingly choreographed and the music was great! Unusual for Blue Man Group, they performed songs with lyrics. Interesting lyrics, with songs that make you think about being behind “the cultural mask”. It is an interesting theme to consider, since they are painted blue, after all.
Overall, I give the show two thumbs up, and I highly recommend it.
I am glad that they included Exhibit 13 in the show, along with the video. If you’ve never watched it – take a moment and do it. It was as moving for me tonight, being performed live, as it was the first time I saw it online a year or so ago.
We were worried for awhile as it was lightening and thundering over us at the Pavilion, where we were in uncovered seats. Fortunately the clouds went away – but the heat stayed. The Blue Man Group looked more like the Blue Man Goop by the end of the show! But that didn’t stop it from being completely amazing.
Another good song is “The Current” where they tried to capture “the modern paradox of having access to millions of people through electrical current but still being cut off from any real human contact. It’s also about getting stuck in a pattern, becoming a slave to one’s job or perhaps more specifically, a slave to technology. Musically, we wanted to express the kind of quiet rage that can build up over time when people feel trapped, alone and unable to control their own destiny.” It did that perfectly, and the green outline affect on the Blue Men made it even more symbolic.
Thank you to Kathy, Tom, Kenny & Elaine for inviting us – it was the perfect ending to the weekend!
By the way, the words on the left are all that really matter…
9 replies on “Manual for Becoming a Rock Groupie…”
i’m glad you got a chance to see them perform! i saw the tour when it came to SF this past May. they’re so amazing.
In your post you mentioned cameras not being allowed in … but as a perk of having a camera phone, I had mine! 😉 I wish I had smuggled the Lomo in – I bet that would have taken some great shots!
Smuggling cameras is fun! I’ve smuggled mine in both times I’ve gotten to see Cirque. Totally worth it.
“Exhibit 13” sounded familiar but I couldn’t remember why until it started playing and then I knew. All those voices. Just, gone.
the Lomo would have been perfect! a friend and i both tried to bring ours in, i was sucessful but his was taken away. after that i got too paranoid to try and use it and the one pic you saw on my site was the only one i ended up taking.
Well, that sucks. The Words on the Left told us that we could use cameras, that it was ok. Hmmm… good thing we listened to the words on the right.
I saw BMG at the Charles Theatre in Boston a number of years ago–in the front row. It was an amazing experience. The show I saw was called “Tubes”, and they did a really neat bit with Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit”.
i just knew that you would enjoy this concert, Christine! thanks for being available and coming with me! it’s too bad my sister couldn’t come.
next time you go visit Jennifer, you should go see BMG in their regular show. it’s quite an experience! i swear, during the fractals, you’d think you were tripping on acid.
That’s cool that you posted about this, I won tickets for the end of this month and I’m totally psyched for it!
BMG rules!!! saw them 2wice last year in boston – such great stuff.
i bought their soundtrack too!
I need to see this new show though, tubes was great both times, but new is better!