Art Event 1 - Blast!

On Wednesday, February 6th, Blast! performed at the Orange County Performing Arts center, which I attended with several of my friends.

There is no premise or story to Blast, nor is there an easy way to describe the show. The show originates from the sports of marching band, drum corps, and colorguard. Drum corps combines an ensemble of brass instruments, along with a skilled collection of colorguard dancers to create a sort of music in motion. Blast takes this idea a step further in that, rather that performing on field, a smaller number of performers (approx 30 brass players and 20 dancers) take to the concert stage. Their attire is much more formal, with the musicians in all black, and dancers in simple costumes that match the color of the number they are performing.

But play music is not all they do with their instruments. Just as flags and rifles are tossed up in the air by the guard, trumpets and horns are tossed around, drummers are playing the drums with their ears, performers are running around the auditorium, and crazy things in general are happening all around. This is not your ordinary night out at a concert.

Color seems to be the main theme. The show opens with a single snare drum on the stage, which builds to a much larger musical ensemble. This is followed by the number "Color Wheel", which establishes that the audience is about to take a trip through every color, exploring the potential meanings behind each one. From there, the first act shows us purple, blue, green, and black, and the second act picks up with yellow, orange, and then red. All the benefits of being on stage in an auditorium come into play, mainly with the use of theatrical lighting effects. This is helpful in a show about color.

The theme of color gives for a nice backdrop to the musical selection, and allows for a good amount of variation. For instance, the blue segment features jazz, followed by an original piece about losing a loved one. In contrast, the green segment features a classical piece "Appalachian Spring" by Aaron Copeland, which is about the beauty of nature and living a life of simplicity. The mood of the songs are often representing by the subtle acting of the dancers and musicians. Though there is no dialogue, they convey the message of the musical through body language, even while playing music.

The color theme also allows for a contrast between the two acts. The first act, dealing with the "cool" colors, is mostly classical music, featuring very organized choreography. As we get more into the "warm" colors of the second act, we start to see more popular music ("Land of Make Believe" by Chuck Mangione, and even a techno song), and the performers start to break away from the confines of the stage and perform in the middle of the audience. The last number, which is about the color red and explores the ideas of passion, ends with a snare drum in the center stage, much like how the show began. This signifies that we've made a complete trip around the color wheel.

After the curtain call, the performers danced off the front of the stage and led the exiting audience into the lobby, where we were greeted with a big percussion dance party with all the cast members. This was a terrific way to end the show. All in all, the show was very high energy and a great way to spend an evening.