Five reasons to schedule a date with the Blue Men

It’s going to be tough to avoid telling George Bluthe Sr./Tobias  jokes or quoting the Eiffel 65 song for this post, but I’ll give it my best shot. As you may have heard, the Blue Man Group is now at the Belk Theater through April 24. You might think you already know what the Blue Man Group’s deal is (they’ve been around for more than 30 years, after all), but the beauty of their shows is that they’re all about the element of surprise. Their show in Charlotte is no different. Without giving away too many of those surprises, here are five reasons you should schedule a date with the Blue Men now, while tickets are still available.

1) To party like it’s 2011. Turns out, the Blue Men can boogie. And whether you like it or not, you’ll receive stern instructions to stand up (whether you’re on a first date, with your grandmother, or newborn) and shake it like you’re in Da Club. Streamers and neon lights included. 

2) To feel the Belk vibrate. There’s been a lot of musical acts at the Belk over the years, but none—not even Clay Aike—have managed to actually shake the auditorium, until now. You’re probably familiar with the Blue Man Group’s creative drum sessions, but it’s tough to get a sense for the magnitude of their music until you’re sitting about 20 rows from the stage and a giant bass drum sends your playbill into the air.

3) To watch a man fit several handfuls of gumballs in his mouth. I lost count around 15. Your jaw will ache just watching a Blue catch (yes, catch) the gumballs in his wide open trap, but even more astounding is the creation he spits out afterward. 

4) To hone your speed reading. The Blues make use of three GiPads during the show, which are (you guessed) giant iPads equipped to digitize anything that walks behind them, and to access books. When the Blue Men pull up Twit Lit (an anthology of classic books pared down to 140-character), and two books on multi-tasking for audience reading pleasure, you’ll be getting a mental workout and a little insight into what happens when technology stretches us too thin.

5) The chance to actually go on a date with the Blue Men. That’s right! One lucky (right word?) lady in the audience could be selected to enjoy awkward silence and Twinkies with all three of the Blue Men on stage. Your chances are slim, but just in case, consider bringing an extra blouse or dress. I’ll say no more.