Blue Man Group Delivers Astounding Performances with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Led by Conductor Thomas Wilkins, and Special Guests at The Hollywood Bowl, Sept. 6 – 7
Blue Man Group, the world-wide entertainment phenomenon, transformed the legendary Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with the world premiere of a never-seen-before orchestral concert, Friday, Sept. 6 – Saturday, Sept. 7. For two nights, Blue Man Group and the more than 80-piece Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, led by world-renowned Principal Guest Conductor Thomas Wilkins, excited and intrigued the packed house with a colorful display of electrifying music and over-the-top humor.
Taking fans on a luminescent-infused journey, Blue Man Group performed arrangements of their own melodies combined with the world’s most well-known pieces such as Aram Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance,” Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero,” and many more. Blue Man Group continued to show their musical versatility when they physically transformed the amphitheater into an oversized instrument as they played the walls and the famous Hollywood Bowl shell with mallets and paddles. The fully-immersive experience featured the custom, cutting edge video mapping by Obscura Digital and lighting by Tony Award winner Kevin Adams. Guests also had the chance to see into the mad scientist minds of Blue Man Group with the debut of their new instrument, the Snorklebone.
During one of the top comedic moments, the Blue Men literally stole the show when they locked up Wilkins in a stage case and led the orchestra in a hilarious mash-up of theme songs from “Jaws,” “Chariots of Fire, “ “Indiana Jones,” “Superman,” “Rocky,” and “Saturday Night Fever.” The blue trio echoed the conductor as they waved unconventional items through the air including an inflatable shark, torch, hat with whip, boxing gloves, cape and disco ball to initiate the changing of the song. Later, the comedy continued when Wilkins was blindfolded, guided by Blue Man Group backstage and sloshed with paint for an astonishing stunt where he was lifted hundreds of feet above the ground by a crane then dropped to create a one-of-a-kind painting.
Throughout the night, Blue Man Group was joined onstage by an array of special guests including two-time Grammy-nominee Tracy Bonham, multi-talented recording artist Butterscotch, famed Venice Beach Boardwalk performer/artist Harry Perry, and a list of internationally acclaimed master-musicians including Natsuki Tamura (didgeridoo), Brian Wolff (tuba), Janeen Rae Heller (musical saw), William Zeitler (glass armonica), Ronobir Lahiri (sitar), Sara Leib (scat singer), the Los Angeles Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, and more.
The undeniable climax of the evening came when Grammy-nominated Brazilian band Monobloco had the audience up and dancing to their signature samba-rock sounds, transporting patrons to the streets of the world-famous Carnival. The infectious musical celebration featured the Hollywood Bowl’s dazzling, custom fireworks display, which unveiled three massive, glowing Blue Men high atop the venue’s arch.
Just when guests thought the evening was over, Blue Man Group had one more surprise up its sleeves. Joined by Bonham, the true finale of the evening came with an unforgettable, over-the-top encore featuring a cover of The Who’s “Baba O’Riley.” As Bonham tickled the ivories, the Blue Men tore the piano apart and began playing it like massive drum. As the music began to build, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra’s concert violinist Katia Popov surprised the audience with an eye-popping costume quick change. As she played, the Blue Men threw confetti on her beautiful black ensemble magically revealing a fiery red and yellow dress.
Photo Credit:Christopher Polk
ABOUT BLUE MAN GROUP
Having utterly redefined the term “live entertainment,” Blue Man Group (like all great icons) continues to reinvent itself. The wildly popular show now combines signature moments with breathtaking new pieces that simultaneously employ and skewer today’s cutting edge technology. It makes for an explosive – and dare we say life-changing? – evening of entertainment. Since founders Chris Wink, Phil Stanton and Matt Goldman, presented the first iteration of Blue Man Group twenty five years ago, more than 25 million people across the globe have seen a live Blue Man Group performance. Blue Man Group’s wildly successful rock concert arena tour, Megastar World Tour, visited nearly 300 cities across the United States and performed in over 10 countries and has been experienced by over 2 million people. Blue Man Group’s debut album, Audio, not only went Gold but also garnered a Grammy nomination. Today, Blue Man Records is prolific in recording albums, producing DVDs and documentaries and collaborating on the scores of hit television shows and major motion pictures. Blue Man Group can currently be seen in Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, New York City and Orlando.
ABOUT BLUE MAN GROUP LAS VEGAS
Blue Man Group has turbo-charged its show in Las Vegas with electrifying music, sensational technology, and innovative new ways of interacting with the audience. The mega-enhanced show at Monte Carlo Resort and Casino is a thrilling, energy-infused performance that introduces wildly inventive musical instruments, a humorous look at robots and creativity, and a mind-blowing (literally) tour inside the neural network of the human brain. Each night the Blue Men present an extraordinary spectacle and create a soulful, primal and euphoric experience that makes you feel vibrantly alive and more closely connected with the people around you.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Blue Man Group box office, any MGM Resorts International ticketing outlet, www.blueman.com/lasvegas or call 1.800.blueman. Fans can also keep up with the latest Blue Man Group Las Vegas news and events via Facebook at www.facebook.com/bluemangroup or Twitter at www.twitter.com/BMGVegas.
ABOUT HOLLYWOOD BOWL
One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the HOLLYWOOD BOWL has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and is home to the best and brightest in all genres of music. It remains one of the best deals in Los Angeles; to this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s concerts. The venue offers something for everyone, from its sizzling summer evening concerts to the daytime summer arts festival for children, “SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl,” now in its 44th season. In February 2013, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the ninth year in a row at the 24th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards. The Hollywood Bowl (www.HollywoodBowl.com) has become synonymous with summer in Southern California.