Blue Man Group is a creative organization centered around three mute individuals that present themselves in blue paint and black clothing. Friends Chris Wink , Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton (collectively referred to as CMP) conceived of the idea during the 1980s while in New York City. They began appearing on the streets in Blue Man regalia, entertaining passersby and staging unusual events such as "The Funeral For the 80's." Interest gradually snowballed to the opening of a full theatrical act in 1991 located in the Astor Place Theater . This critically acclaimed show, as well as frequent appearances on "The Tonight Show," enabled CMP and Blue Man Group team to open similar productions and expand their concepts into other kinds of performances.

Theatrical productions

Blue Man Group's theatrical acts incorporate rock music (with an emphasis on drumming), odd props, audience participation, sophisticated lighting, and large amounts of (recycled) paper. It is also noted for having a "poncho section" of the audience; in the front rows, audience members are provided with plastic ponchos in order to protect from various foods, substances, paints, and so on which get thrown, ejected, or sprayed from the stage. The shows are family-oriented, humorous, energetic and often employ thought-provoking satire on modern life.

It is highly recommended that one not arrive late to a performance.

List of theatrical productions

• "Tubes- Rewired" in New York (1991 - present)
• "Tubes- Rewired" in Boston (1995 - present)
• "Tubes- Rewired" in Chicago (1997 - present)
• "Live at Luxor" in Las Vegas (2000 - September 2005)
• Las Vegas Venetian Show (October 2005-)
• Berlin (2004- present)
• Toronto (Opens in 2005)

Music and tours

As the shows evolved, Blue Man Group developed a set of custom musical instruments, many designed from the observation that PVC pipes make an interesting noise when struck. In 1999, the group released their first audio recording, appropriately called Audio. It was less of a soundtrack and more a collection of full length instrumentals that featured the new instruments. The group participated in Moby's Area2 tour in 2002, giving a more rock-oriented performance than found in the theatrical shows. Songs developed during this tour appeared on 2003's The Complex. Unlike its predecessor, The Complex featured a variety of vocalists including Tracy Bonham, Dave Matthews, Gavin Rossdale and Venus Hum. The record spawned its own 2003 tour, the first headlined by the Blue Man Group. The tour cleverly deconstructed the traditional rock concert experience and was later chronicled on DVD.

Advertisements

When Blue Man Group was still based in New York, they ran a variety of fake advertisements in The Village Voice.

The group achieved widespread visibility when they appeared in an Intel advertising campaign for Pentium 3 and Pentium 4 CPUs as well as Centrino technology.

Blue Man Group has also appeared on The Simpsons as part of one of the couch gags, had guest appearances in The Drew Carey Show and Arrested Development, and appear in an informational video played continuously at security checkpoints in the Las Vegas airport.

Discography

• Audio CD LP (1999)
• Audio DVD-audio LP with 5.1 surround sound mix (2000)
• The Complex CD LP (2003)
• The Complex DVD-audio LP with 5.1 surround sound mix (2004)

Videography

• The Complex Rock Tour Live DVD (2003)

External links

• The official Blue Man Group home page
• Companion site to the Blue Man Group song "Exhibit 13"
• Unofficial fan site including many media clips