A friend took me to see BLAST, last night, it was awesome. It opened to the strains of Bolero and about twenty horn players bump and grind in time to the music, a gal does one handed cartwheels in between puffing on her bugle. There are dancers and flag bearers and stacked cubicles of percussionists and players wandering the aisles softly humming their didgerydoos. BIg drums and lots of them, just an incredible performance I would highly recommend it.
The Grand Rapids crowd was typically stoic but finally warmed up and gave these kids their due. So what, it was in the newly remodeled DeVOs Hall, show your appreciation audience. I think the oldsters in the crowd were dumbstruck - get with the beat daddy-o!
Oh and the drummers came into the lobby during the break and afterwards and were doing some major booty shaking. I gotta go again!
SPOILED!!! I saw a taped version of this on PBS , it usually runs during begging week. I was hooked too!
Personaly, I was stunned by the performance of “Loss” That musican threw himself into that piece so well, he tooka bit of my flesh with him. “Simple Gifts” just drew me into tears. And the performance of Bolero, quite possibly the most romantic music ever written was Da BOMB! A highlight of the PBS special is the Trumpet plyer jamming in view of the tower of London was spectacular.
Apparently the band’s leading of the audience out into the lobby is a show specialty. It allows the musicans and dancers the chance to mingle with thier appriative audience. What a kick for them NO? must be great for thier egos to get such a reaction from thier viewers.
If it runs again, I will listen again.But what I want to know is…Is that hostess ever going to change her suit?
Saw it last fall. Enjoyed it, but not as much as I enjoyed its predecessor “Stomp.”