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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Back and Blue: Blue Man Group drops in on Arena


The Blue Man Group sometimes performs along with its eight-piece rock band, using instruments such as PVC pipe and various drumming surfaces.
 (Photos courtesy of Lobeline Communications / The Spokesman-Review)

Is the Blue Man Group’s “How to Be a Megastar 2.1” a comedy show?

A rock concert?

A performance art piece?

“The easy answer is, ‘Yes,’ ” said Greg Hagglund, the tour’s co-executive producer.

“It’s a very funny show, and it’s backed up by incredible musical performances from an eight-piece rock band,” he said.

“Visually, it’s a stunning show – a big arena show with a state of the art sound system, incredible lighting and theatrical magic.”

To an increasingly rare breed – the American uninitiated in Blue Man ways – this might still sound baffling and mysterious.

Yet anyone who caught last year’s Spokane visit of “How to Be a Megastar 2.0” should know exactly what to expect.

The three anonymous, cerulean-painted dudes who star in this show have obtained a rock-star manual, which contains a series of instructions on things like the “one-armed fist pump,” “saying hello to the people in the cheap seats” and the “fake ending.”

They teach themselves these tricks and they in turn teach them to the audience, in their trademark innocent way. The “fake ending,” for instance, becomes less of an encore and more like, well, a really fake ending.

“It’s kind of a ‘Spinal Tap’ look at the rock star experience,” said Hagglund.

The music contains some of the essential ingredients of arena rock, including renditions of The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” as well as a few Blue Man originals.

The three azure guys sometimes perform along with the band, using some of their trademark instruments, including PVC pipe and various drumming surfaces.

They also invent a new instrument called an “air pole,” which is essentially a giant fiberglass whip antenna with a microphone attached to the end. They flail it in the air and produce bizarre noises.

And as for that “theatrical magic,” you’ll just have to wait and see it for yourself.

“They do some very neat things involving lasers,” said Hagglund. “But I can’t give away all of the secrets.”

These “Megastar” tours were designed to be far larger in scale than the permanent Blue Man shows in New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Boston and Orlando (and various European and Asian cities). Those shows are more intimate, with different storylines.

Apparently, the Blue Man brand adapted well to the arena-sized venue, which is why a “2.1” version is touring the country now. It retains some of the elements of the earlier show, but adds new songs and comedy bits.

The show is suitable for all ages, although it does have loud music and lasts more than two hours, including intermission and opening act.