# Blue Man Group **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278 "2006-11-30T02:22:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/1 "2006-11-30T02:22:41Z")
So I’ve got the Blue Man Group on my radar. I just learned two things of interest. First off, they’re coming to the local arena in February, a show I’m dying to see, more on that later. And secondly, Universal is opening a venue in direct competition to Disney’s deal with Cirque Du Soleil such that they (Blue Man Group) will have a regularly running show in town… I may just become addicted. The tickets on Ticketmaster presale for the February show are $55 for upper lower bowl, and upper bowl. $85 for lower lower bowl and floor. I’m pretty sure I’m going to get floor seats for the show, but I need to find any friends who want to go with me. Any dopers got Blue Man group concert stories to tell? – IG ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/2 "2006-11-30T02:24:46Z")
Well, I sat in the rain-slicker seats at their Astor Place performance. I took my kids, but I enjoyed the show at least as much as they did. ---
**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/3 "2006-11-30T02:34:04Z")
I’ve seen them twice, once in their permanent show in Toronto, and once a touring show that came through here. The permanent show was alternately entertaining and disgusting and a repeat of many of the things that had been in the touring show, as well. The touring show was way too loud, but otherwise more fun than the permanent show. It was the whole anatomy of a rock concert set, and it was greatly entertaining. Plus, the dueling LED displays were vastly amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/4 "2006-11-30T02:44:27Z")
Disgusting? How so? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/5 "2006-11-30T02:58:59Z")
[QUOTE=Improv Geek] Any dopers got Blue Man group concert stories to tell? – IG [/QUOTE] Seen 'em in Chicago. I do not care for improv music, audience participation, or mime. So I was quite surprised by just how much I enjoyed Blue Man Group. I’ll gladly see them again. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/6 "2006-11-30T03:31:13Z")
They sure are a fine act. I have seen them here in Boston 4 times. Still can’t describe them to people that well though. ---
**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/7 "2006-11-30T03:54:04Z")
[QUOTE=Improv Geek] Disgusting? How so? [/QUOTE] There were a couple of different pieces that were pretty gross. The most notable one involved the crunching of cereal to make music. It was initially amusing, but as they got farther into it, half-digested cereal was spit all over the stage, and I imagine much of the front of the audience. It was just icky. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/8 "2006-11-30T04:01:51Z")
I was just looking into seeing them in Vegas recently. Front row seats are about $120 IIRC, which is not bad for a Vegas show. The wife and I will be making it up there to see them before long. Tobias Funke: “I just blue myself” ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/9 "2006-11-30T04:56:25Z")
I really loved their DVD and their albums. I saw them for the first time in Chicago earlier this year, and I was mildly disappointed. My understanding is that they had just re-vamped the show, and there were a few bits early on that just dragged on without ever really going anywhere. It hurt the momentum for the rest of the show. I really think that it was an off night, though, and the parts that worked were really great. I’d absolutely recommend them. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/10 "2006-11-30T09:14:20Z")
I went to see the London show a few months back and it was great - wall-to-wall entertainment, to the extent that some of it was really only washing over my conscious brain the next day, as I reflected on it. We were in the ‘poncho seats’ - the first few rows, where plastic ponchos are issued because ‘materials’ (paint, jello, mashed banana, etc ) from the stage might find their way into the audience - we deliberately didn’t bother wearing the ponchos and had worn brand new white t-shirts to frame and keep as souvenirs (we got a Blue Man to hand-print them after the show). My previous experience of them was from any bits of recorded video I could lay hands on - the Complex Rock Tour Live DVD (excellent), and stuff from their website and youtube, etc. I did sense ever so slightly that the London show was a bit of a ‘product’ - a little hard to define, but I suppose it’s because the actions of the Blue Men, although appearing wild and spontaneous, were of course carefully scripted and rehearsed. I’ve heard that the _How To Be A Megastar Tour 2.0_ is essentially an updated version of _The Complex Rock Tour_, with a more developed emphasis on the Rock Concert Instruction Manual. I’d still love to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/11 "2006-11-30T12:18:00Z")
I saw 'em at that shit hole in New York where they perform. I’d recommend them to ANYONE who is even remotely interested in seeing any sort of entertainment that isn’t just another Seinfeld rerun. Most people know their schtick by now, but just to see something original and funny, put together by talented people is refreshing. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/12 "2006-11-30T13:00:36Z")
I’d be interested to know how similar are the stage shows in different locations; my guess is that they must be quite similar, as I understand that the Blue Men rotate to different locations periodically. There were aspects of the London show that were conspicuously made-over for the audience; the cereal crunching thing used Rice Krispie boxes, even though the cereal was clearly not that product; in the dinner party scene, they served cakes from a Mr Kipling’s Mini Battenburg box, but they looked like twinkies or something - there were a number of bits like that. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/13 "2006-11-30T13:32:59Z")
Is Tracy Bonham with them again on this tour (vocals/violin)? ---
**Author:** ![beowulf573](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@beowulf573](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulf573)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/14 "2006-11-30T13:39:45Z")
I saw the Boston show and it was possibly one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who likes their mind blown. I’ve never seen the touring show. ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/15 "2006-11-30T13:59:59Z")
Just as a mini-digression, Blue Man Group created a bit of a nasty stir in Toronto due to their refusal to abide by the union regulations. As such, ACTRA and EQUITY (the Canadian actors unions for film, television and theatre) boycotted Blue Man for some time. Not that this affects the performance itself. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/16 "2006-11-30T14:08:26Z")
I saw them in Vegas, and they were fantastic. Everyone from my single sister in her 30s to my married-with-four-kids sister in her 40s, to my mother in her 70s thoroughly enjoyed the show. I can’t recommend it highly enough. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/17 "2006-11-30T14:35:43Z")
[QUOTE=Sean Factotum] Is Tracy Bonham with them again on this tour (vocals/violin)? [/QUOTE] I think so - someone called ‘Tracy B’ is posting to the performer’s journal regularly ([http://www.howtobeamegastar.com/journal.php](http://www.howtobeamegastar.com/journal.php)) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/18 "2006-11-30T14:39:03Z")
I LOVE Blue Man Group. They are the most entertaining rock concert I’ve ever been to. Granted that’s not saying much since I haven’t been to that many. I would give a limb - at least my left arm - to see them in Vegas. But that’s at least as much just to go to Vegas! ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/19 "2006-11-30T14:54:39Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] ITobias Funke: “I just blue myself” [/QUOTE] One of my favorite running gags on Arrested Development was the splotches of blue paint left in random spots all over the house. I loved their show in Chicago. I wouldn’t have wanted to sit in the poncho seats - we were a few rows back from that. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278/20 "2006-11-30T17:38:40Z")
I saw BMG here in Cleveland a few months ago and, having heard all of the hype and seen the PBS special on them, was… disappointed, I must admit. Fun, but they weren’t all that. It was the “How to be a Rock Megastar” show (or whatever the exact name was), was 'way too loud and didn’t have much that I hadn’t already seen. Not sure I’d go see 'em again unless they totally revamped the show. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blue-man-group/382278.md?page=2)