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Blue Man Group



 
 
Blue Man Group is a creative organization founded by Phil Stanton, Chris Wink and Matt Goldman. The organization produces theatrical shows and concerts featuring music, comedy and multimedia; recorded music and scores for film and television; television appearances for shows such as The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show

The Tonight Show is a long-running American late-night talk show and variety show airing on NBC whose The Tonight Show with Jay Leno has been hosted by Jay Leno since 1992....
, Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)

Scrubs is an Emmy Award and Peabody Award-winning American comedy-drama that premiered on October 2, 2001, on NBC. It was created by Bill Lawrence and is produced by ABC Studios ....
, and Arrested Development; and a children's museum exhibit ("Making Waves"). All of the organization's appearances star a trio of performers called Blue Men.

organization's visual productions are centered on a trio of anonymous mute performers, called Blue Men, who appear in black clothing and blue grease paint over latex bald caps and play a mixture of idiosyncratic, often percussive, instruments.






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Encyclopedia


Blue Man Group is a creative organization founded by Phil Stanton, Chris Wink and Matt Goldman. The organization produces theatrical shows and concerts featuring music, comedy and multimedia; recorded music and scores for film and television; television appearances for shows such as The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show

The Tonight Show is a long-running American late-night talk show and variety show airing on NBC whose The Tonight Show with Jay Leno has been hosted by Jay Leno since 1992....
, Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)

Scrubs is an Emmy Award and Peabody Award-winning American comedy-drama that premiered on October 2, 2001, on NBC. It was created by Bill Lawrence and is produced by ABC Studios ....
, and Arrested Development; and a children's museum exhibit ("Making Waves"). All of the organization's appearances star a trio of performers called Blue Men.

Blue Men

The organization's visual productions are centered on a trio of anonymous mute performers, called Blue Men, who appear in black clothing and blue grease paint over latex bald caps and play a mixture of idiosyncratic, often percussive, instruments. Blue Men are performers of either gender who meet specific physical requirements (athletic build, height between 5'10"-6'1"/1.78-1.85 m), specific performing talents (percussion, acting, non-verbal communication), and certain personality traits (openness, charisma, willingness to collaborate), among other qualifications.

Premise

The Blue Man can be considered a type of homologue, a creature approximating a real male human being. The strongest and most obvious Blue Man characteristic is his static appearance, namely, the ear-less, bright blue head and face, and nondescript, utilitarian clothing. In action, the Blue Man does not speak and his face is usually expressionless, although suggestions of curiosity, surprise, wonder, chagrin, etc. are sometimes visible. The Blue Man does not communicate through speech or broad body language
Body language

Body language is a term for communication using body movements or gestures instead of, or in addition to, sounds, verbal language or other communication....
 or gestures; rather, he communicates through intense eye contact and simple gestures. He acts impulsively and primarily as a group of three, "checking in" with the other two when making decisions and before moving to their next action. The Blue Man's outwardly apparent motivations are often presented in mild caricature
Caricature

A caricature is either a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness, or in literature, a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others....
 in order to make a humorous and/or ironic point to the audience. Additionally, the Blue Man is inscrutably motivated to drum. They even have their own hand gesture, called the "Blue Man Salute", which is made by raising both arms in the air. These characteristics provide a character free of stereotypes or race and allow all members of the audience to identify with them equally.

History


Beginnings

Meryl Vladimer
Meryl Vladimer

Meryl F. Vladimer is an artist, theatrical producer, and political activist.Born in Brooklyn, Meryl Vladimer began her career as a noted and critically reviewed sculptor, and was featured on the cover of Artforum....
, the Artistic Director of The CLUB, saw their work and commissioned Blue Man Group to create a full-length show. The resulting piece, Tubes, took off after Vladimer persuaded New York Times theater critic Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden

Stephen Holden is an United States writer, music critic, film critic, and poet.Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963....
 to review it. Blue Man Group's popularity continued to snowball, resulting in a performance at Lincoln Center titled "Serious Fun", and eventually an Obie Award and a Lucille Lortel Award, which led producers to take the show to off-Broadway. Tubes opened in 1991 at the Astor Place Theater in New York City.

Blue Man Group won a special citation in the 1990-1991 Village Voice Obie Award
Obie Award

The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards bestowed by The Village Voice newspaper to theater artists in New York City....
s, and a special award in the 1992 Lucille Lortel Awards, which are for excellence in off Broadway theatre.

Early in the history of the group, the members would speak with audiences after the show while still in makeup, answering questions, signing autographs, and talking about the show. Eventually, however, it was decided that cast members would stay in character at all times while in makeup, meaning after shows they would still not speak to audience members, and the only "autograph" they would sign would be a smudge of blue paint. When shown a "new" piece of technology, such as a cell phone or even an old pair of binoculars, they will simply stare at it in wonder.

Theatrical productions


Current theatrical productions

  • "Tubes/Rewired" in New York
    New York City

    The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
     at the Astor Place Theatre
    Astor Place Theatre

    The Astor Place Theatre is an off-Broadway house located at 434 Lafayette Street in the East Village, Manhattan section of Manhattan. The theatre is located in the historic Colonnade Row, originally constructed in 1831 as a series of nine connected buildings, of which only four remain....
     (1991 — present)
  • "Tubes/Rewired" in Boston
    Boston, Massachusetts

    Boston is the State capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is considered the economic and cultural center of the region, and is sometimes regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England." Boston city proper had a 2007 est...
     at the Charles Playhouse
    Charles Playhouse

    The Charles Playhouse is a Off-Broadway Theater located at 74 Warrenton St. in Boston, Massachusetts near Beacon Hill.Blue Man Group and Shear Madness currently play there....
     (1995 — present)
  • "Tubes/Rewired" in Chicago at the Briar Street Theater (1997 — present)
  • "Bluephoria/Live at The Venetian – Las Vegas" in Las Vegas
    Las Vegas, Nevada

    Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, Nevada, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and entertainment....
     at The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino (October 10, 2005 — present)
  • Berlin
    Berlin

    Berlin is the Capital of Germany city and one of sixteen States of Germany of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is the country's largest city....
     at the Bluemax Theater (February 1, 2006 — present)
  • Orlando
    Orlando, Florida

    Orlando is a major city in Central Florida, United States and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Florida. It is also the principal city of Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
     at the Sharp Aquos Theatre at Universal Orlando Resort
    Universal Orlando Resort

    Universal Orlando Resort is a theme park resort in Orlando, Florida, Florida. It is a joint partnership between NBC Universal, Inc. and the Blackstone Group....
     (June 6, 2007 — present)
  • Tokyo, Japan at the Invoice Theatre (December 1, 2007 — present)


Previous theatrical productions

  • "Live at Luxor" in Las Vegas
    Las Vegas, Nevada

    Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, Nevada, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and entertainment....
     at the Luxor Hotel and Casino (March 10, 2000 — September 15, 2005)
  • Berlin
    Berlin

    Berlin is the Capital of Germany city and one of sixteen States of Germany of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million within its city limits, Berlin is the country's largest city....
     at the Theater am Potsdamer Platz
    Potsdamer Platz

    is an important public square and traffic intersection in the centre of Berlin, Germany, lying about one kilometre south of the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag , and close to the southeast corner of the Tiergarten park....
     (May 9, 2004 — January 31, 2006)
  • Toronto
    Toronto

    Toronto is the List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population in Canada and the Provinces and territories of Canada Provincial and territorial capitals of Canada of Ontario....
     at the Panasonic Theatre (June 20, 2005 — January 7, 2007)
  • London
    London

    London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
     at the New London Theatre
    New London Theatre

    The New London Theatre is a West End theatre located on the corners of Drury Lane and Parker Street in Covent Garden, in the London Borough of Camden....
     (November 2005 — June 24, 2007)
  • Amsterdam
    Amsterdam

    Amsterdam is the Capital of the Netherlands and List of cities in the Netherlands with over 100,000 people of the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands of North Holland in the west of the country....
     at the Theater Fabriek (December 2006 — September 30, 2007)
  • Oberhausen
    Oberhausen

    Oberhausen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the Ruhr area, 35 km to the north of D?sseldorf on the banks of the river Emscher...
     at the Metronom Theatre (March 11, 2007 — October 3, 2008)
  • Stuttgart
    Stuttgart

    Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-W?rttemberg in southern Germany. The list of cities in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 590,429 while the metropolitan area referred to as Stuttgart Region has a population of 2.7 million ....
    , Germany
    Germany

    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
     at the Apollo Theater (February 28, 2008 — October 12, 2008)
  • Basel
    Basel

    Basel is Switzerland's third most populous city . With 731,000 inhabitants in the tri-national metropolitan area , Basel is Switzerland's third-largest urban area....
    , Switzerland
    Switzerland

    Switzerland is a landlocked Swiss Alps country of roughly 7.7 million people in Western Europe with an area of 41,285 km?. Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 states called Cantons of Switzerland....
     at Musical Theater Basel (October 25, 2008 — January 11, 2009)


Future productions


International Blue Man Theatrical Tour
Blue Man Group is in the midst of an International Blue Man Theatrical Tour which started in Stuttgart
Stuttgart

Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-W?rttemberg in southern Germany. The list of cities in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 590,429 while the metropolitan area referred to as Stuttgart Region has a population of 2.7 million ....
, proceeded to Basel, Switzerland, and will eventually go to Spain
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
, France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
, and Austria
Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west....
 for approximately four to six month runs in each location. Unlike The Complex Rock Tour and the How to Be a Megastar tours, the International Blue Man Theatrical Tour will actually showcase the theatrical show currently performed in New York City, Boston, and Chicago.

Music and tours

In 1999, the group released their first audio recording, appropriately titled Audio. Although it contained some of the music from their stage productions, it was less of a soundtrack and more a collection of full-length instrumentals that featured new instruments.

In 2002, the group participated in Moby
Moby

Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby is an American DJ, singer-songwriter and musician.He plays keyboard, guitar, bass guitar and drums....
's Area2 tour, giving a more rock-oriented performance than in the theatrical shows. Songs developed during this tour appeared on 2003's album The Complex
The Complex

'The Complex' may refer to:*...
.

Unlike Audio, The Complex featured a variety of vocalists and guests including Tracy Bonham
Tracy Bonham

Tracy Bonham is a Grammy Award-nominated United States musician best known for her single "Mother Mother ".Raised in Eugene, Oregon, Bonham is a classically trained violinist and pianist....
, Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews

David John Matthews is a South African-United States Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band, but he has also worked as a solo artist, and with other musicians such as Tim Reynolds and Trey Anastasio....
, Gavin Rossdale
Gavin Rossdale

Gavin McGregor Rossdale is a British people musician most famous as the lead singer and guitarist of the Rock music Musical ensemble Bush . He later was the lead singer and guitarist for Institute , and is now pursuing a solo career....
 and Venus Hum
Venus Hum

Venus Hum is an Electronic music pop music group from Nashville, Tennessee, consisting of vocalist Annette Strean and multi-instrumentalists Kip Kubin and Tony Miracle....
. The record spawned its own 2003 tour, the first headlined by Blue Man Group. The tour deconstructed the traditional rock concert
Rock concert

The term rock concert refers to a musical performance in the style of any one of many genres inspired by "rock and roll" music. While a variety of vocal and instrumental styles can constitute a rock concert, this phenomenon is typically characterized by band playing at least one electric guitar, an electric bass guitar, and Drum kit....
 experience into its often clichéd parts and was chronicled in a 2004 DVD
DVD

DVD, also known as "Digital Versatile Disc" or "Digital Video Disc,"is a popular optical disc data storage device media format. Its main uses are video and data storage....
 release. The tour featured Tracy Bonham and Venus Hum as supporting acts. The DVD included a surround sound mix of some of the studio recordings.

Blue Man Group launched its second tour, The "How to Be a Megastar Tour 2.0", on September 26, 2006. The tour added some new material to material from the original Complex Rock Tour, and had Tracy Bonham as an opening act and vocalist. DJ/VJ
VJ (video performance artist)

A VJ is a performance artist who creates moving visual art on large displays or screens, often at events such as concerts, nightclubs and music festivals, and usually in conjunction with other performance art....
 Mike Relm
Mike Relm

Mike Relm is an United States DJ, turntablist, and VJ from San Francisco, California. He has performed with notable hip-hop artists Lyrics Born, Money Mark, Gift of Gab , Del tha Funkee Homosapien, and D-Sharp....
 was the opening act for the second leg of this tour, which ended April 22, 2007 in Wilkes-Barre, PA
Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a U.S. state located in the Northeastern United States and Mid-Atlantic States regions of the United States....
. This third leg of the tour began in May 2007 and included performances in Mexico City
Mexico City

Mexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the most important economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country; the most populous city with over 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008....
, Guadalajara
Guadalajara, Jalisco

Guadalajara is the capital city of the Mexico state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of the state and in the western-Pacific area of Mexico....
, and Monterrey
Monterrey

Monterrey is the capital city of the northeastern Mexico state of Nuevo Le?n and a Monterrey of the same name. Also known as "Sultana del Norte" , Monterrey is an important industrial and business center....
, Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
; Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southern shore of the R?o de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent....
, Argentina
Argentina

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is a country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city....
; Sao Paulo
São Paulo

S?o Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, and along with Tokyo, Seoul and Mexico City is among the four largest metropolitan regions of the world....
 and Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro , is the second largest city of Brazil and South America, behind S?o Paulo, and the third largest metropolitan area in South America, behind S?o Paulo and Buenos Aires....
, Brazil
Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the List of countries by population country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world....
; and Santiago
Santiago, Chile

Santiago , is the Capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of 520 m Above mean sea level....
, Chile
Chile

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow coastal strip wedged between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean....
. The fourth leg, using "2.1" in its title, included more U.S. and Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 dates. Following that, the Megastar World Tour visited France, Korea, Canada, Germany, and a few other European countries throughout 2008.

Themes

There are a number of different themes found in various Blue Man performances. These themes include:
  • Science
    Science

    In its broadest sense, science refers to any systematic knowledge or practice. In its more usual restricted sense, science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on scientific method, as well as to the organized body of knowledge gained through such research....
     and technology
    Technology

    Technology is a broad concept that deals with an animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects an animal species' ability to control and adapt to its Natural environment....
    , especially the topics of plumbing
    Plumbing

    Plumbing is the skilled trade of working with pipe , Tubing and plumbing fixtures for drinking water systems and the drainage of waste. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping systems, plumbing fixtures and equipment such as water heaters....
    , fractals, human sight
    Sight

    Sight may refer to one of the following:*Visual perception*Sight , used to assist aim by guiding the eye*Sight , a 2005 Concert DVD by Keller Williams...
    , DNA
    DNA

    Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetics instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses....
    , and the Internet
    Internet

    The Internet is a global network of interconnected computers, enabling users to share information along multiple channels. Typically, a computer that connects to the Internet can access information from a vast array of available server and other computers by moving information from them to the computer's local memory....
    .
  • Information overload
    Information overload

    Information overload refers to an excess amount of information being provided, making processing and absorbing tasks very difficult for the individual because sometimes we cannot see the validity behind the information ....
     and information pollution
    Information pollution

    Information pollution is the spread of superfluous, useless or harmful information via the internet or other communications mediums. There are many aspects of information pollution....
    , such as when the audience is asked to choose one of three simultaneous streams of information to read.
  • Innocence
    Innocence

    Innocence is a term used to indicate a general lack of guilt, with respect to any kind of crime, sin, or wrongdoing. In a Criminal law, innocence refers to the lack of guilt of an individual, with respect to a crime....
    , as when the Blue Men appear to be surprised and perplexed by common artifacts of modern society or by audience reactions.
  • Self-conscious and naïve imitation of cultural norms, such as attempting to stage an elegant dinner for an audience member with Twinkie
    Twinkie

    A Twinkie is a "Golden Sponge Cake with Creamy Filling" popular in the United States and elsewhere in North America. It is distributed by Continental Baking Company, which is owned by Kansas City, Missouri-based Interstate Bakeries Corporation....
    s; or following the Rock Concert Instruction Manual (see below) with the expectation that following a series of instructions is all it takes to put on a rock concert.
  • The Outsider. Blue Men always appear as a group of three. This is because not only are Blue Men viewed as outsiders to the rest of the world, but three is the smallest group possible wherein there can be a subgroup of more than one as well as a subgroup of one, the outsider. Many of the Blue Man skits involve one of the three Blue Men performing in a manner inconsistent with the other two.
  • Rooftops, or otherwise climbing to the top. There are a number of references, both in visual pieces and in lyrics from the COMPLEX tour, that have a common theme of getting to the roof. This theme is a metaphor for the advice Stanton, Wink, and Goldman drew from Joseph Campbell
    Joseph Campbell

    Joseph John Campbell was an United States mythologist, writer, and lecturer best known for his work in the fields of comparative mythology and comparative religion....
     and Bill Moyers
    Bill Moyers

    Bill Moyers is an United States journalist and public commentator. He served as White House Press Secretary in the Lyndon B. Johnson Administration from 1965-67....
    's PBS program The Power of Myth
    The Power of Myth

    The Power of Myth is a book and six part television documentary film originally broadcast on PBS in 1988 as Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth....
      and represents "Following your bliss."


The Rock Concert Instruction Manual

The Rock Concert Instruction Manual, used by Blue Man Group in The Complex Rock Tour and the How to Be a MegaStar Tours 2.0 and 2.1, is a satire
Satire

Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre; although, in practice, it is also found in the graphic arts and performing arts. In satire, human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, or other methods, ideally with the intent to bring about improv...
 of the conventions of rock music
Rock music

Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
. The manual describes in simple steps how one can gain fame
Celebrity

A celebrity is a widely-recognized or notable person who commands a high degree of public and media attention. The word stems from the Latin verb "celebrare" but one may not become a celebrity unless public and mass media interest is piqued....
 and fortune by becoming a rock
Rock music

Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
 star. Parts of the manual are also used in Blue Man Group's theatrical shows.

Origins and attributes

The Rock Concert Instruction Manual is bought at the beginning of the How to Be a MegaStar show from a fake infomercial
Infomercial

Infomercials are long-format television Television advertisement, typically five minutes or longer.. Infomercials are also known as paid programming ....
, using an audience member's credit card
Credit card

A credit card is part of a system of payments named after the small plastic card issued to users of the system. It is a card entitling its holder to buy goods and services based on the holders promise to pay for these goods and services....
. (In compensation, the audience member later receives a marshmallow
Marshmallow

The Marshmallow is a confection that, in its modern form, typically consists of sugar or corn syrup, water, gelatin that has been softened in hot water, dextrose, and flavorings, whipped to a spongy consistency....
 sculpture
Sculpture

Sculpture is Three-dimensional space artwork created by shaping or combining hard and or plastic material, sound, and or text and or light, commonly Stone sculpture , metal, glass, or wood....
 that was in one Blue Man's mouth). The Manual is narrated by a monotone
Monotone

Monotone refers to a sound, for example speech or music, that has a single unvaried Pitch . Opposite = vibratoMonotone or monotonicity may also refer to:...
 male
Malé

Mal? , population 104,403 , is the Capital , the largest city in terms of population, and the name of an island in the Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Male' Atoll Kaafu Atoll....
's voice (Todd Perlmutter) who directs their actions step-by-step, from creating their persona
Persona

A persona, in the word's everyday usage, is a social role or a Character played by an actor. This is an Italy word that derives from the Latin for "mask" or "character", derived from the Etruscan language word "phersu", with the same meaning....
 to ending the show.

Appearances and other work


Advertising

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

    The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper in New York City, United States featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City....
    .
  • The group did a commercial for the soft drink Mirinda
    Mirinda

    Mirinda is a brand of soft drink available in fruit varieties including orange , grapefruit, apple, strawberry, pineapple, banana, passionfruit and grape flavours....
    , where the trio is orange, instead of blue.
  • The group achieved widespread visibility when they appeared in an Intel advertising campaign for Pentium III
    Pentium III

    The Pentium III brand refers to Intel's 32-bit x86 desktop and mobile microprocessors based on the sixth-generation Intel P6 microarchitecture introduced on February 26, 1999....
     and Pentium 4
    Pentium 4

    The Pentium 4 brand refers to Intel's line of single-core mainstream Desktop computer and laptop central processing units introduced on November 20, 2000 ....
     CPU
    Central processing unit

    A central processing unit is an electronic circuit that can execute computer programs. This broad definition can easily be applied to many early computers that existed long before the term "CPU" ever came into widespread usage....
    s as well as Centrino
    Centrino

    Centrino is a platform-marketing initiative from Intel. It is not a mobile CPU - rather, the term covers a particular combination of mainboard chipset, mobile Central processing unit and wireless network interface in the design of a laptop....
     technology.
  • In June 2006, Swatch
    Swatch

    File:Swatch Bijoux Jewelry.JPGSwatch is a brand name for a line of wrist watches from the Swatch Group, a Swiss conglomerate with vertical control of the production of Swiss watches and related products....
     launched a new range of colored watches with BMG as the faces of the advertising campaign. A limited edition Blue Man Group watch was also released, featuring all three men throwing paint to each other on the strap.
  • BMG appeared in local TV ads for the Los Angeles Dodgers
    Los Angeles Dodgers

    The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles, USA. The team is in the Western Division of the National League. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of names before becoming the Brooklyn Dodgers circa 1911....
     baseball team broadcasts.
  • In 2005, the group collaborated with artist David LaChapelle
    David LaChapelle

    David LaChapelle is a photographer and video/commercial/film director who works in the fields of fashion, advertising, and fine art photography, and is noted for his surreal, unique and often humorous style....
     and produced several new images for upcoming ad campaigns, including their show "bluephoria" at The Venetian in Las Vegas. These images are radically different from any of the group's previous advertising and can be seen on the .


TV guest appearances

  • Since 1992, Blue Man Group has appeared repeatedly on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an United States late night television talk show currently hosted by Jay Leno, on NBC. It made its debut on May 25, 1992, following Johnny Carson retirement as host of The Tonight Show....
     and Live with Regis and Kelly
    Live with Regis and Kelly

    Live with Regis and Kelly is a television syndication American television talk show, hosted by Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa. Before 2000, the show was known as, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, with Kathie Lee Gifford co-hosting with Philbin....
    .
  • Blue Man Group frequently gave out clues on the PBS kids' game show Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
    Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego (game show)

    Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? is a popular children's television series game show loosely based on Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? created by now defunct Br?derbund....
     in the early 1990s.
  • Starting in the second season of Arrested Development, a running subplot was that of Tobias Fünke (David Cross
    David Cross

    'David Cross' is an Emmy Award-winning United States comedian, writer, and actor. He is best known for his appearances on the television series Mr....
    ) attempting to join the group with little to no luck. The group themselves were featured at least three times.
  • Blue Man Group appears in The Drew Carey Show
    The Drew Carey Show

    The Drew Carey Show is an United States sitcom that aired on American Broadcasting Company from 1995 to 2004 and was known for its "everyman" characters and themes....
     episode "Drew Live III".
  • In 2004, Blue Man Group made an appearance in the show Las Vegas
    Las Vegas (TV series)

    Las Vegas was an American television series that aired on NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working in the fictional Montecito Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada—dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and restaurant management to casino...
     in the episode "Blood and Sand" (original airdate January 5, 2004). In the episode, they play themselves "trashing" the hotel managed by Ed Deline (James Caan
    James Caan

    James Caan is an American actor. He is best-known for his Academy Award nominated role of Sonny Corleone in 1972's The Godfather, Paul Sheldon in Stephen King's Misery and for his role as Ed Deline on Las Vegas ....
    ), and shooting money from PVC pipes in the lobby.
  • In Autumn 2005, the group appeared on the children's BBC program, Blue Peter
    Blue Peter

    Blue Peter is a long-running BBC television programme for children. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC Channel....
    , to promote their London production.
  • Blue Man Group appeared on the finale of America's Got Talent
    America's Got Talent

    America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network. It is a "talent" show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of US$1 million....
    , where they performed a cover of The Who
    The Who

    The Who are an England Rock music band formed in 1964. The primary lineup was guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon....
    's "Baba O'Riley
    Baba O'Riley

    "Baba O'Riley" is a song by the England rock music band The Who, written by Pete Townshend. Roger Daltrey sings most of the song, with Pete Townshend singing the Thirty-two-bar form: "Don't cry/don't raise your eye/it's only teenage wasteland"....
    " with Tracy Bonham
    Tracy Bonham

    Tracy Bonham is a Grammy Award-nominated United States musician best known for her single "Mother Mother ".Raised in Eugene, Oregon, Bonham is a classically trained violinist and pianist....
    , from their Complex Rock Tour show.
  • Blue Man Group made an appearance at the launch party of the new CW
    The CW Television Network

    The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006-07 United States network television schedule....
     network in September 2006.
  • Blue Man Group and their Las Vegas show were featured in the sixth season premiere episode of Scrubs
    Scrubs (TV series)

    Scrubs is an Emmy Award and Peabody Award-winning American comedy-drama that premiered on October 2, 2001, on NBC. It was created by Bill Lawrence and is produced by ABC Studios ....
     on NBC titled "My Mirror Image".
  • Blue Man Group appeared in an episode of FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman
    FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman

    FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman is a children's television series on Public Broadcasting Service during the PBS Kids GO! block of educational programming....
    , a children's game show on PBS Kids Go. The episode was "Ruff's Case of Blues in the Brain".
  • Emily Yeung took part in a brief performance with Blue Man Group on the children's program This is Emily Yeung
    This is Emily Yeung

    This is Emily Yeung is a 2006 Canadian children's television series created by J.J. Johnson and Blair Powers and produced by Toronto's marblemedia and Sinking Ship Productions in association with Treehouse TV and is the follow-up to their previous series, This is Daniel Cook....
    .
  • In November 2007, Blue Man Group appeared in an episode of Space Pirates, a children's BBC program.
  • In April 2008, Blue Man Group appeared in the Comedy Central
    Comedy Central

    Comedy Central is an United States cable television and satellite television channel that carries predominantly comedy programming, both original and broadcast syndication....
     special Night of Too Many Stars. Actor Kevin James
    Kevin James

    Kevin James is an United States comedian and actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of lead character Doug Heffernan on the television sitcom The King of Queens and periodically on Everybody Loves Raymond....
     joined the trio as a parody, bringing out Jerry Stiller
    Jerry Stiller

    Gerald Isaac "Jerry" Stiller is an United States of America Emmy Award-nominated comedian and actor.He spent many years in the comedy team Stiller and Meara with his wife Anne Meara....
    , his former co-star on The King of Queens
    The King of Queens

    The King of Queens is an United States sitcom that ran for nine seasons, from 1998 to 2007.The show was produced by Hanley Productions and CBS Productions CBS Paramount Television in association with Columbia Pictures Television , Columbia TriStar Television , Sony Pictures Television and filmed at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver Cit...
    .
  • On October 2, 2008, Blue Man Group performed on an episode of Dr. Phil
    Dr. Phil (TV series)

    'Dr. Phil' is an United States talk show hosted by Phil McGraw. After McGraw's success with his segments on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr....
     that discussed various ways to help reduce stress.


Concert guest appearances

  • At the Grammy Awards in 2001, Moby collaborated with Blue Man Group and Jill Scott to perform his song "Natural Blues."
  • In December 2005, Blue Man Group appeared at the Royal Variety Performance
    Royal Variety Performance

    The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch....
     in Cardiff
    Cardiff

    Cardiff is the Capital , largest city and most populous Unitary authority#Wales in Wales. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for many national cultural and sport institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of Welsh Assembly Government ....
    , where they performed "I Feel Love
    I Feel Love

    "I Feel Love" is a song by Donna Summer, taken from her 1977 concept album I Remember Yesterday. The song originally symbolised the 'future' segment of the album, which loosely depicted a musical trip through time....
    " with Katherine Jenkins
    Katherine Jenkins

    Katherine Jenkins is an award-winning Welsh mezzo-soprano. Her first album Premiere made her the fastest-selling mezzo-soprano to date and she later became the first British classical artist to have two number one albums in the same year....
     on vocals. They also created a piece of Yves Klein
    Yves Klein

    Yves Klein was a French artist and is considered an important figure in post-war European art. New York critics of Klein's time classify him as neo-Dada, but other critics, such as Thomas McEvilley in an essay submitted to Artforum in 1982, have since classified Klein as an early, though "enigmatic," Post-Modernist....
    -inspired art by daubing comedian Joe Pasquale
    Joe Pasquale

    'Joe Pasquale' is an England comedian from Grays, Essex, arguably most famous for his high-pitched voice, use of visual gags and more recently being crowned "King of the Jungle", on the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity......
     in paint, attaching him to a pulley, and swinging him against a large canvas. Finally, Blue Man Group performed their popular "spin art/marshmallows" skit.
  • Blue Man Group performed the American and Canadian national anthems at the home opener of the Toronto Blue Jays
    Toronto Blue Jays

    The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the American League East of Major League Baseball 's American League....
     against the Minnesota Twins
    Minnesota Twins

    The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The Twins are a member of the American League Central of Major League Baseball's American League....
     in April 2006.
  • Blue Man Group had a guest performance at Tiësto
    Tiësto

    Ti?sto is a Netherlands Trance music disc jockey and record producer. He has become one of the world's most famous people in the trance and electronic dance music scenes....
    's "Elements of Life
    Elements of Life

    Elements of Life is the third solo CD produced by trance music artist Ti?sto, released on April 16, 2007 . The album contains collaborations with Jes Brieden of Gabriel & Dresden's project Motorcycle, Julie Thompson of Holden & Thompson, Charlotte Martin, Christian Burns, BT , and Maxi Jazz of Faithless....
    " show where they performed "No More Heroes" on June 2, 2007 in the Gelredome in Arnhem, Holland. They also joined him at the Hammerstein Ballroom
    Hammerstein Ballroom

    The Hammerstein Ballroom is a two-tiered, 12,000 square feet ballroom located within the Manhattan Center on 311 West 34th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States....
     in New York City to kick off the United States leg of his "Elements of Life" tour on July 19 and July 20, 2007, where they performed the same song. The song was released on Tiësto's 2008 release, Elements of Life: Remixed
    Elements of Life: Remixed

    Elements of Life: Remixed is an album by Ti?sto. The songs on this album are remixes from Ti?sto's original album Elements of Life. Originally dated to be released on January 29, 2008, it was then delayed to March 11, 2008, and was finally released on April 28, 2008....
    .
  • On July 4, 2007, Blue Man Group performed "PVC IV" with the Boston Pops Orchestra
    Boston Pops Orchestra

    The Boston Pops Orchestra was founded in 1885 as a subsection of the Boston Symphony Orchestra , founded four years earlier. Careful examination of the rosters of ?Pops orchestra" or ?Festival" orchestras, which are associated with a co-resident symphony orchestra in the same community, shows that the principal players of a ?pops" ensemble us...
    , Keith Lockhart
    Keith Lockhart

    For the baseball player, see Keith Lockhart Keith Lockhart is an orchestral conducting.He is the current Music Director of the Boston Pops Orchestra, taking over from John Williams in 1995....
     conducting, during the Pops' annual Fourth of July celebration at the Hatch Shell
    Hatch Shell

    The Hatch Shell is an outdoor concert venue adjacent to the Charles River Esplanade near downtown Boston, Massachusetts. The Hatch Shell is best known for hosting the Boston Pops Orchestra annually for the Boston Independence Day celebration, but is also used for free concerts most weekends and many weeknights during the summer months....
    .
  • On November 8, 2007, Ricky Martin
    Ricky Martin

    Enrique Mart?n Morales , better known by his stage name Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rico pop singer who rose to fame, first as a member of the Latin American music boy band Menudo , then as a solo artist since 1991....
     opened the Las Vegas-themed 2007 Latin Grammy Awards
    Latin Grammy Awards

    The Latin Grammy Awards were launched in 2000 with a telecast aired on CBS. It was the first primarily Spanish language prime-time program carried on an English-language television network....
     show with the help of Blue Man Group. They performed a medley of Ricky Martin's "Lola, Lola" and "La Bamba".
  • On December 1, 2007, Blue Man Group and Koda Kumi performed "I Feel Love" for her Black Cherry Tour in the Tokyo Dome, Japan.
  • On July 4, 2008, Blue Man Group performed at the Stadium of Fire event at the LaVell Edwards Stadium
    LaVell Edwards Stadium

    LaVell Edwards Stadium is a stadium on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the BYU Cougars....
     in Provo, Utah
    Provo, Utah

    Provo is a city in and the county seat of Utah County, Utah, Utah, United States, located about south of Salt Lake City, Utah along the Wasatch Front....
    .
  • On January 2, 2009 Blue Man Group made a guest appearance at the "I've in BUDOKAN 2009 - Departed to the Future" concert at Tokyo's Budokan
    Nippon Budokan

    The , often shortened to just "Budokan," is an arena in central Tokyo, Japan.For many Westerners, the Budokan is synonymous with large-scale rock concerts....
    , performing "Hydian Way" with Love Planet Five.


Movies

  • "The Current" was featured on the soundtrack for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
    Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

    Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, commonly abbreviated as T3, is a 2003 in film science fiction/action film film directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes and Kristanna Loken....
    .
  • Blue Man Group played various percussion instruments on the score of the 2005 animated film Robots
    Robots (film)

    Robots is a 2005 in film United States CGI-animated comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios for 20th Century Fox , and was released theatrically on March 11 2005 ....
    .
  • The group contributed music to the 2008 animated film Space Chimps
    Space Chimps

    Space Chimps is a 2008 in film Computer animation science fiction comedy film produced by Vanguard Animation, Starz Media and 20th Century Fox, and it was released on July 18, 2008....
    .


Other

  • Blue Man Group appears in an informational video played continuously at security checkpoints in McCarran International Airport
    McCarran International Airport

    McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas, Nevada and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise, Nevada in Clark County....
     in Las Vegas, Nevada
    Las Vegas, Nevada

    Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, Nevada, and an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and entertainment....
    .
  • In 2004, the piece "Piano Smasher" was used in the soundtrack for the video game R-Type Final
    R-Type Final

    R-Type Final is a horizontally-Shoot 'em up#Scrolling shooters video game by Irem for the PlayStation 2 video game console originally planned as the last game in the series; however, R-Type Command was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2007....
    .
  • Blue Man Group have licensed two different musical instruments for kids, manufactured by Toy Quest, based on existing Blue Man creations: "Blue Man Group Percussion Tubes" and "Blue Man Group Keyboard Experience".
  • In 2007, Goldman and Wink (both fathers) founded an alternative children's school, .
  • Blue Man Group is mentioned in the Angel
    Angel (TV series)

    Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999....
     episode "The House Always Wins".
  • In an episode of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
    Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

    Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! is an United States television series, created by and starring Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, which premiered February 11, 2007 on Adult Swim....
    , Jeff Goldblum
    Jeff Goldblum

    Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum is an Academy Award-nominated United Statesn actor. He often portrays quirky, intense or eccentric characters. He is also known for his distinctive appearance and staccato delivery of lines....
     parodies Blue Man Group with a similar group titled the "Jeff GoldBluMan Group".
  • Blue Man Group was parodied on an episode of Family Guy
    Family Guy

    Family Guy is an animated cartoon Television in the United States Situation comedy created by Seth MacFarlane that airs on Fox Broadcasting Company and regularly on other television networks in syndication....
    . In a cut-scene, Peter
    Peter Griffin

    Peter L?wenbr?u Griffin is a Character and the protagonist of the List of animated television series Family Guy. Peter is the patriarch of the Griffin household and the central character in the show....
     recalls the time when he saw the Jew Man Group, a group of four Rabbis in blue paint (three rabbis were dancing to Klezmer
    Klezmer

    Klezmer is a musical tradition which parallels Hasidic and Ashkenazic Judaism. Around the 15th century, a tradition of secular Jewish music was developed by musicians called klezmorim or kleyzmurim....
     music while holding up a chair with the third sitting on it).
  • Blue Man Group was also parodied on the The Simpsons
    The Simpsons

    The Simpsons is an Television in the United States animated cartoon Situation comedy created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company....
    , where Bart threw a ball into one's members mouth in a church. Also they appear in a couch gag in episode "The Old Man and the Key
    The Old Man and the Key

    "The Old Man and the Key" is the thirteenth episode of the thirteenth season of The Simpsons, and the first episode written by Jon Vitti since season seven's clip show episode, The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular....
    ". Also, in "The Ziff Who Came To Dinner
    The Ziff Who Came to Dinner

    "The Ziff Who Came to Dinner" is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons The Simpsons , and the third of four episodes written by Simpsons voice actor Dan Castellaneta and his wife, Deb Lacusta....
    ", Homer - on the verge of being arrested - desperately babbles "Don't tell my kids I'm going to jail. Tell them I joined the Blue Man Group. I'm the fat one!"
  • In 2008, Blue Man Group performed a special concert, organized by ABC's Oprah's Big Give
    Oprah's Big Give

    Oprah's Big Give is a reality television series that aired Sunday nights at 9:00 PM Eastern/8:00PM Central on American Broadcasting Company, and is hosted by Nate Berkus....
    , for a Chicago inner city school. Also at the show, they gave two $50,000 checks to help the school's athletic facilities and music department.


Feature film

In September 2008, Variety
Variety (magazine)

Variety is a weekly entertainment trade newspaper founded in New York in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Hollywood, was founded by Silverman in 1933....
 reported that the original trio (Matt Goldman, Chris Wink and Phil Stanton) would star in a Blue Man Group IMAX 3D
IMAX

IMAX is a film film format and projection standard created by Canada's IMAX Corporation. The traditional version of IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and than conventional film display systems....
 feature film, to be produced by Charlotte Huggins.

Musical instruments

As the shows evolved, Blue Man Group developed a set of custom musical instruments, many designed from the observation that common materials, such as PVC
Polyvinyl chloride

Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is the third most widely used thermoplastic polymer after polyethylene and polypropylene....
 pipes, make interesting noises when struck.

Zither
Zither

The zither is a musical string instrument, most commonly found in Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, the southern regions of Germany, alpine Europe and East Asian cultures....
: Blue Man Group uses a custom-built, 86-string electric zither. Unlike standard fretless zithers, Blue Man Group's zither is several feet wide, typically deeper in note range, is amplified by several electric guitar pick ups, and utilizes many more strings. Similar to standard sized zithers, Blue Man Group's zither is composed of a harp and chord section. The characteristic sound of the harp section can be most prominently heard during the Marshmallow & Gumball piece of their live performances. Chimey and bright, the harp plays many of the melodic themes during a Blue Man Group theatrical performance. The dense, typically distorted sound of the chord section sounds similar to an electric guitar played with a glass slide, most recognizable as the lead instrument during the second half of "Utne Wire Man". This technique is similar to a pedal steel guitar, with 'fret' markings on the soundboard beneath the chords to be played with the slide on the left hand and standard guitar and/or fingerpicks on the right hand. The zither signal typically runs through a series of guitar pedals (Distortion, Wah, Delay, etc) and then into an old "Orange" vintage guitar amp. When played through a delay effect and phaser, the zither is sometimes referred to as the Pressaphonic, which supplies the main riff in "Rods & Cones". PVC Instrument: The PVC Instrument is made out of 2" PVC pipe. The pipes are cut to exact lengths and the Blue Man plays the instrument by striking one of the open ends with a closed-cell foam rubber paddle. PVCs are somewhat based on the bamboo
Bamboo

The bamboos are a group of woody perennial plant evergreen plants in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae....
 instruments used in Gamelan joged bumbung
Gamelan joged bumbung

Joged bumbung is a style of gamelan music from Bali, Indonesia on instruments made primarily out of bamboo. The ensemble gets its name from joged, a flirtatious dance often performed at festivals and parties....
 & Gamelan jegog
Gamelan jegog

Jegog is a form of gamelan music indigenous to Bali, Indonesia played on instruments made of bamboo. The tradition of jegog is centered in Jembrana, a region in Western Bali....
 ensembles. In the live shows, three separate PVC instruments are used, one for low, mid, and high octaves. This instrument also comes in a "backpack" variety for portability, which comes optionally equipped with confetti/streamer shooters. The "floor" PVC units are generally painted with fluorescent dye invisible under normal lighting conditions, but of visibly different colors under ultraviolet
Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than x-rays, in the range 400 nanometer to 10 nm, and energies from 3 Electron volt to 124 eV....
 light. During a performance, levels of such are generally adjusted to give the PVC the appearance of changing from white to colorful. Along with the tubulum and drumbone, PVCs can be classified as plosive aerophones
List of musical instruments by Hornbostel-Sachs number

The following lists contain musical instruments, musical instrument classification according to the Hornbostel-Sachs system by how they make sound.*List of idiophones by Hornbostel-Sachs number...
. A prime example of a PVC style instrument is the Thongophone
Thongophone

A thongophone is a musical instrument classified as a percussion instrument. Playing the thongophone is somewhat rare in western music for solo performance, but was brought to prominence by the music of Yanni and Blue Man Group, among others....
. Tubulum: Similar in concept to the PVC, the Tubulum uses 4" PVC pipe and has cardboard or rubber "reeds" on the end that are struck with drumsticks. This gives the Tubulum a more "updated" sound than the PVC; in fact, the synthesizer
Synthesizer

A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing a variety of sounds by generating and combining signals of different frequency....
-like sound quality of the instrument inspired Blue Man Group's cover of "I Feel Love
I Feel Love

"I Feel Love" is a song by Donna Summer, taken from her 1977 concept album I Remember Yesterday. The song originally symbolised the 'future' segment of the album, which loosely depicted a musical trip through time....
" by Donna Summer
Donna Summer

Donna Summer is an United States singer-songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of music.Summer was trained as a gospel music singer prior to her introduction to the music industry....
. The Tubulum is designed for playing bass
Bass (musical term)

Bass , when used as an adjective, is used to describe Pitch s of low frequency or range . Played in an musical ensemble/orchestra, such notes are frequently used to provide a counterpoint or counter-melody, in a harmony context either to outline or juxtapose the progression of the chord s, or with Percussion instrument to underline the rhyth...
 notes, so the tubes must be sufficiently long to generate the low sounds. Because of the unavoidably large size of this instrument, the performance venues for the theatrical shows in New York, Boston, and Chicago are not physically large enough to contain it. A more compact instrument was used on the Complex Rock Tour and in the video for "I Feel Love"; the tubes twist around for extra length, below the frame that holds the tube "heads". Backpack tubulums, with the same streamer-launching abilities of the backpack PVC, were used in the Las Vegas, Berlin & Toronto shows. Another variation of the Tubulum is the Paddle Tubulum, which allows the Blue Man to play bass notes with the ease of paddles, as on a PVC; this instrument was used on The Complex. Airpoles: Airpoles are hollow fiberglass
Fiberglass

Fiberglass, , is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. It is used as a reinforcing agent for many polymer products; the resulting composite material, properly known as fiber-reinforced polymer or glass-reinforced plastic , is called "fiberglass" in popular usage....
 boat antennae of various lengths. The instrument is sharply swung to create a "swoosh" sound. These instruments come in three varieties. Sword airpoles are short and held on the end like a sword. Wiper airpoles are longer versions of sword airpoles. Angel airpoles are very long and are held in the middle so that both ends move in unison to create syncopated rhythm. This is supposedly one of the most difficult Blue Man instruments to learn, as it requires very precise muscle control that can take a long time to develop. Unlike most of the other instruments listed here, airpoles were not, strictly speaking, "invented"; they were discovered
Found object

A found object, in an artistic sense, indicates the use of an object which has not been designed for an artistic purpose, but which exists for another purpose already....
 when one of the founders of the group swung a boat antenna through the air while experimenting to find new instruments. Drumbone: The Drumbone is another instrument made from 4" diameter PVC; this one uses two movable sections to alter the pitch. One Blue Man plays the instrument with drumsticks, another moves the horizontal slide, and the third Blue Man moves the vertical slide. It is also capable of being taken apart into two separate instruments which harmonize with one another. Curiously, when disassembled, the horizontal slide section is held vertically, and the vertical slide section is held horizontally. The Drumbone is only used in the song of the same name, an audience favorite, due to the fact that all three Blue Men are needed to play it properly and are unable to play any other instruments during the song. Blue Man Group used a special Drumbone shaped like the number 4 for the Intel Pentium 4 commercials. Drumulum: The Drumulum consists of a drum and a length of PVC pipe (or "ulum") over the drum. The length of the tube, when in harmony with the pitch of the drum, creates the sound heard at the beginning of the hidden track "Mandelbrot 4" on The Complex as well as part of the opening track "Above". Hammered Dulcimer
Hammered dulcimer

The hammered dulcimer is a string instrument musical instrument with the strings stretched over a trapezoidal sounding board. Typically, the dulcimer is set on a stand, at an angle, before the musician, who holds small mallet hammers in each hand to strike the strings ....
 and Cimbalom: Although they are not inventions of Blue Man Group, these instruments are played with drumsticks rather than the usual felt
Felt

Felt is a non-weave cloth that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers. While some types of felt are very soft, some are tough enough to form construction materials....
 hammers. This gives the instrument a much more aggressive sound with a sharp attack. Because of the nature of Blue Man Group's music, only a few notes of each instrument tend to be used on any given performance; to minimize the odds of sour notes
Consonance and dissonance

In music, a consonance is a harmony, Chord , or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance ? considered unstable . The strictest definition of consonance may be only those sounds which are pleasant, while the most general definition includes any sounds which are used freely....
, multiple adjacent strings are generally tuned to the same note. Chapman Stick
Chapman Stick

The Chapman Stick is an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. He set out to create an instrument designed for the "Free Hands" tapping method of both hands parallel to the frets that he invented in 1969....
: The Stick is most notably heard in the "Mandelbrot" series of songs (of which there are 4), "Synaesthetic", "Your Attention", and the main riff in "Utne Wire Man". In addition to "tapping" the instrument, the Stick player also "bows" the lowest two strings (with a .110 gauge bass string cut approx 10" long) in the "Mandelbrot" songs. Dogulum: This instrument is "played" by taking Chris Wink's dog
Dog

The dog is a domesticated subspecies of the Gray Wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties....
 and stroking him rhythmically until the dog enters a state of Zen-like complete contentment; the dog is then recorded, and the vibe is included on the album mix. Piano Smasher: The Piano Smasher is a piano
Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard instrument. Widely used in Western music for solo performance, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to musical composition and rehearsal....
 stripped down to its frame and stood up on its side. It is played by hitting the strings with a large soft mallet, resulting in a clangy, almost discordant sound. In live performances, this instrument is generally played with a MIDI system, using sensors behind the strings, as the instrument goes out of tune very quickly. Each Piano Smasher is tuned to only one note, as it would be otherwise impossible to get anything resembling a musical tone from the instrument. Shaker Gong: A Shaker Gong is a matrix of ball bearing
Ball bearing

A ball bearing is an engineering term referring to a type of rolling-element bearing which uses balls to maintain the separation between the moving parts of the bearing....
s inside a steel casing, suspended from a frame by surgical tubing. It is struck with a mallet to produce a sharp, lingering sound vaguely reminiscent of a rattlesnake
Rattlesnake

Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snake snakes, genus Crotalus and Sistrurus. They belong to the subfamily of venomous snakes known commonly as Crotalinaes....
. Gyro Shot: This was a failed instrument from the Audio sessions. It consisted of ball bearings inside spinning tubes. Although it looked futuristic, the only sound Blue Man Group managed to get from it was a weak rain stick-like sound. Aronophonic: The Aronophonic was invented by Blue Man Group instrument technician Aron Sanchez in order to reinvent cymbals, shakers and other high frequency percussive instruments. It consists of multiple pieces of metal laid out on a rack so the drummers can hit them with drumsticks and allow the pieces of metal to stay together. Electric Dog Toy: Blue Man Group took a dog toy that had a whale sound sampled in it and moved it in different ways near an electric guitar pickup. The result was a high-pitched squeal that can be heard at the end of "Drumbone". Dumpstulum: Two steel garbage dumpsters lying on their sides. They are played by having drum army rhythmically jump on them, or hit them with hammers, drumsticks, or large mallets, as demonstrated on the Discovery Channel's "Daily Planet" show. The Dumpstulum can be heard on the live CD/DVD "How Be A Megastar Live!" in the song Light Suits.

Labor controversies

None of the people who work for Blue Man Group are members of a union. There have been labor actions in Toronto and Las Vegas. In March 2007 the AFL-CIO placed Blue Man Group on its "Don't Buy List" for union members and their families.

Toronto

Announcing their debut in Toronto, Ontario in 2005, Blue Man Group attracted considerable controversy for opting not to use unionized
Trade union

A trade union or labor union is an organization run by and for workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages, hours, and working conditions....
 workers for their show, which many labor groups regarded as being highly unusual for a show of its size in Canada. Their June 20, 2005 premiere in Toronto was picketed by members of the Canadian Actors' Equity Association
Canadian Actors' Equity Association

Canadian Actors' Equity Association is an association of performers in English Canada who are engaged in live performances before paying audiences in theatre, opera and dance....
, the Toronto Musicians' Association, and two locals of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. The Ontario Teacher's Union also joined in the boycott, which essentially eliminated any business from school trips and student matinees. The show closed after 18 months, staging its final show on January 7, 2007. The Toronto Star reported that the closing was due primarily to the show's union difficulties and to the lack of novelty of the show itself.

Las Vegas

In September 2005, Blue Man Group moved from Luxor, where they had a union contract, to The Venetian, electing not to keep the contract. Stagehands who went from the Luxor venue to the Venetian started an organizing campaign with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, or I.A.T.S.E., is a trade union representing technicians, artisans and craftspersons in the entertainment industry, including live theatre, motion picture and television production, and trade shows....
 in Las Vegas, leading to a vote in May 2006. Before the vote, Matt Goldman, a co-founder of Blue Man Group, pledged to honor the results "in accordance with the great democratic traditions of our country."

In the May 2006 election, the stagehands voted to be represented by IATSE Local 720. In June the National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board

The National Labor Relations Board is an Independent agencies of the United States government charged with conducting elections for trade union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices....
 certified the results. The winning election permitted the employees to start bargaining a contract with Blue Man Productions. After the election, Blue Man Group refused to go to negotiate, arguing that the election was not valid because it did not include a half-dozen musical technicians.

In June, the union filed an unfair labor practice charge with the regional office of the National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board

The National Labor Relations Board is an Independent agencies of the United States government charged with conducting elections for trade union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices....
. The NLRB sided with the union. The company filed a challenge, sending the case to full hearings before the Board in Washington DC. In September 2006 the NLRB rejected the challenge, ordering bargaining to begin.

In September 2006, Blue Man Group sued to have the NLRB ruling overturned. In October, the NLRB filed a petition for enforcement of its order. (D.C. Cir. Nos. 06-1328 & 06-1341 NLRB v. Blue Man Vegas, LLC Board Case Nos. 28-CA-20868 and 28-RC-6440).

On June 10, 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit known informally as the D.C. Circuit, is the Federal Government of the United States appellate court for the U.S....
 ruled in favor of the NLRB.

The union has also filed charges of federal unfair labor practices with the NLRB Las Vegas office, contending that Blue Man Group illegally changed the show's work rules and fired a key union supporter.

Discography


Videography

  • The Complex Rock Tour Live
    The Complex Rock Tour Live

    The Complex Rock Tour Live is a live DVD by Blue Man Group in support of their album, The Complex with footage from their shows in Dallas, Texas....
     DVD (2003). Live concert footage taken from shows in Dallas, Texas
    Texas

    Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
    .
  • Inside the Tube (2006). A special one-hour documentary created and aired exclusively for PBS. Features interviews with Stanton, Wink, and Goldman describing the Blue Men, and video clips from various theatrical performances. DVD only on the PBS online store.
  • How To Be A Megastar Live! (2008). Live concert footage from Blue Man Group's newest tour. It was released on DVD on April 1st and Blu-Ray on November 4, 2008. The DVD version includes a bonus audio CD of many of the show's songs.
  • Scoring Reel a scoring DVD only available in 2004.


Awards


Nominations

  • Grammy nomination: Audio (1999)


See also

  • Uberschall
    Uberschall

    Uberschall is an improvisational rock band based in Las Vegas consisting of past and present Blue Men and band members of Blue Man Group. Uberschall frequently performs at the Double-Down Saloon in Las Vegas....
    , a Las Vegas band consisting of past and present members of Blue Man Group


External links

  • Official websites: , , , *, including