The popular Blue Man Group is coming to Japan in December and will be performing here throughout next spring in a special theater being prepared for them in Roppongi.
The Blue Man Group was created in New York City back in the late 1980s, when its three founding members, including Matt Goldman, started to give street performances.
In 1991, the three men painted themselves in blue from the neck up and started to give comical performances. Since then, the show has gained constant popularity over the past 16 years, and now eight cities across the globe have hosted the show.
I have never seen these guys live, but the bits of their act that I have caught on TV make me interested enough that I will probably run in to the Big-T to catch their show.
I always wondered why anyone without some kind of strange fetish would watch these people.
I’ve seen the Blue Man Group show in Las Vegas twice, six years apart. There were maybe a few changes but overall they were both pretty much had the same content. The first time I saw it I didn’t know what to expect and was wowed, mostly for the cool drumming. These blue guys are serious drummers. They also do some cool skits where they go into the audience and interact with them. My favorite sequence was where the stage was a backdrop for an animated (with lights) wild west.
You can see part of it at around the one minute mark:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZz-7X9Kga0
What I didn’t like from the show was this ‘feast’ sequence where they get someone from the audience and sit him/her at the table. The skit used a twinkie as a prop and comedic moments, but I didn’t find it very funny and it ruined the flow of the show as it keeps going on and on. Interesting thing is, I felt this way when I first saw it and years later it was still in there so obviously people must like it. Also funny was that both times I saw the show they picked an asian female (looked Japanese to me) for this particular skit.
Overall if you like drums and cool music, and some quirky skits with guys painted blue face, then this shows for you.
Just back from the Blue Man Group show, and want to shout out a big “Thanks” to Japundit for spreading the word. One of the most entertaining performances I’ve been to in a long time (and come on, grandpatoe, the `feast’ sequence is pretty damn funny).
Just make sure you’re ready for the assault on your ears, and on your sense of humor. To borrow a phrase from the PGA — These Guys are Great!
One of the “Blue Man Groupers” in New York is actually a very successful Japanese taiko drummer, now active in her performance art scene. So, there’s your Japan tie in!