Drumming Dreams

Blue Man Group at the Grammys

The other day I was trying to describe The Blue Man Group and their unique music-making to my sister. I didn't have the words and found my own memories confused anyway. So that night, after she had gone to bed, I went to YouTube to look for videos to refresh my memory. And I got lost there for hours. And hours.

My memory had included their blue faces, their mime act, and intricate instruments made out of PVC pipes some of which stood solid on the stage and others wrapped around their bodies. I remembered all of that but I had forgotten that they were drummers!

No wonder I remembered them fondly though. Drumming is something that has always called to me.

I collected dozens of links to the videos I encountered. After the first half-dozen I realized that I had more than plenty for a demonstration for my sister--more than she would be willing to sit still for--but I couldn't stop.

Later the drumming, the pipes, the paint hijacked my dreams.

I was looking for a topic for tonight's post and remembered that night of Blue Man Group Dreaming. I thought I could put together a quick post from memory. Maybe I could have but I couldn't resist watching one first. And one led to another. And another. And next thing I knew three hours were gone.

I had also hoped to choose just one video for this post. Ha.

During that three hours, I realized that I could chock all these hours and the dozens of links up to research for the Maia character in my Spring Fever WIP--my NaNo novel from 2007. I don't know if I would necessarily make any mention of the Blue Man Group in the story. It is enough that watching these videos gives me a better sense of what goes into stage producing a sensational act. That is one of Maia's passions.

After hours of watching these guys, I have an incredible itch to pick up a pair of drumsticks and start drumming on every surface in sight.

Blue Man Group on Jay Leno

Blue Man Group wearing their PVC instruments on stage with Tiesto.

Blue Man Group demonstrating the workings of the eye.

Blue Man Group clowning

You might be most familiar with Blue Man Group from the Intel commercials:

The Keys
The Treadmill
The Paint