Last night I got to see the Blue Man Group (for the third time) perform their (latest) show: "How To Be A Megastar 2.0!" Unlike my past experiences in Chicago and New York, the trio had a revamped routine that was centered more on their percussion abilities than silly skits. While they still managed to insert adequate doses of humor, the show was nearly stolen by Tracy Bonham.
Towards the beginning of this year my friend in Texas and I were playing the "let's swap amazing songs" game on AIM. After a few exchanges I had ended up with a handful of sad songs (because we all know those are the best kind), one being Bonham's "Whether You Fall". Her voice knocked me back and I was quick to overplay the song during the next few months. When Tracy Bonham came onstage last night to open for Blue Man Group I was shocked. Not just because she was opening for the Blue Man Group of all acts, but because she ended up being one of better live shows I've seen all year.
Like a more guitar centered female counterpart of Andrew Bird, Bonham used her classically trained fingers to manipulate a violin and guitar so well that the overbearing Rupp Arena quickly became a small coffee house. She has one of the best voices I've ever heard and didn't miss a note the entire performance. Her latest release (Blink The Brightest) displays such a large range, both musically and vocally, that I am not even sure if I can assign her a genre. Check out an assortment of her tunes!
[MP3] Tracy Bonham - Something Beautiful (highly rec'd)
[MP3] Tracy Bonham - Whether You Fall
[MP3] Tracy Bonham - Mother Mother
To ice the cake - her stage presence and personality in front of a huge and out of their musical comfort zone crowd was nothing short of amazing. Of course, when she joined Blue Man Group onstage for a cover of The Who's "Baba O'Riley" ... It didn't exactly hurt her standing. Seeing three blue mutes and an amazing female artist cover one of the greatest songs of all time (in my opinion) was quite the experience.
Bonus [MP3] Blue Man Group - Up to the Roof (feat. Tracy Bonham)
Official Site | MySpace Site | More MP3s | Buy Blink The Brightest
6 comments:
wait.. you picked Blue Man Group over Xiu Xiu? You're -100 blogger points.
If only someone would review said performance...
I'd pick washing the dishes over Xiu Xiu...
That's too bad, because Jamie Stewart would pick washing you over the dishes.
I bet he would...
Tracy Bonham is definitely a weird choice. I just remember her as being a sort of MOR alternative rock act. Saw her open for Catherine Wheel once, didn't really make that much of an impression. Shrug...
Tracy was absolutely great in Oklahoma City this past Sunday. This was my first time seeing a BMG show. I think I'm going to go over to Little Rock when the perform there early next year. The music, the visuals, the vocal duets with Tracy and "that guy" *chuckles* were just out of this world.
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