Men in blue captivate audience in colorful Saudi festival show

The Blue Man Group. (File photo)
Updated 16 July 2019
Follow

Men in blue captivate audience in colorful Saudi festival show

  • Group performing as part of the Jeddah Season of events for the third time

JEDDAH: The captivating Blue Man Group rocked a Saudi festival audience with a high-octane show that won a standing ovation.

Performing in the Kingdom for the third time, the three bald, blue men wowed fans by taking them on a spectacular, fun-filled, music-laced journey of discovery.

More than 35 million people of all ages, languages and cultures in 25 countries have experienced the unexpected, madcap antics of the Blue Man Group and the colorful entertainers had an awestruck Saudi audience clapping for more.

The show was organized by the General Entertainment Authority as part of the Jeddah Season.

Backed by other musicians, the trio’s powerful drum show began with two of the blue men competing to create a work of art by spraying paint from their mouths.

The interactive display saw the performers engaging with fans in a variety of fun, dynamic ways including eating Twinkies and painting on a canvas. They even shone a spotlight on late arrivals to the venue, singing: “You are late, you were supposed to be here 20 minutes ago.”

Part of the group’s “Speechless” tour, the family show’s mix of music, color and humor left the Jeddah Season audience buzzing.

“We loved it. It was unique and captivating,” Saudi student, Mariam Ahmed, 22, told Arab News. “This was my first time attending the show and honestly, if you haven’t seen them before nothing can prepare you for what you are going to see in the show.”

Father-of-two Yuzreza, from Brunei, said: “It is our first event and now, after seeing this, we are planning to see a few other events in the season. The children especially enjoyed it.”

The Blue Man Group has been running for 25 years, and according to its publicity its 70 performers around the world splash their way through 18,000 buckets of paint a year and have broken 23,000 drumsticks.


Simu Liu joins Middle East Film & Comic Con lineup

Updated 59 min 46 sec ago
Follow

Simu Liu joins Middle East Film & Comic Con lineup

DUBAI: Marvel star Simu Liu has joined the lineup of celebrities attending this year’s Middle East Film & Comic Con, set to run from April 24-26 in Abu Dhabi.

Best known for his role as Shang-Chi in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Chinese-Canadian actor, writer and executive producer became Marvel Studios’ first Asian lead superhero with the release of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” in 2021. His other screen credits include the CBC television series “Kim’s Convenience” and a supporting role in the 2023 smash hit “Barbie.”

According to organisers, attendees will have the opportunity to meet Liu during scheduled appearances, including photo sessions and autograph signings.

He joins previously announced guest Christopher Judge, as well as two comic industry figures newly confirmed for the event. Italian comic book artist Federico Vicentini will appear as part of the Comic Creators Club, a section of the convention dedicated to illustrators, writers and other creatives. Vicentini’s recent work includes titles such as “Amazing Spider-Man,” “Wolverine” and “Falcon & Winter Soldier.”

Also joining the lineup is US comic book artist Brett Breeding, who has nearly five decades of experience in the industry. Breeding is known for his inking work on major characters including Superman, Spider-Man and Thor, alongside projects in photography and voice acting.

The convention will feature returning zones such as the Gaming Arena, Bookworm Lounge, Tabletop Zone and Collectors Gallery, alongside a new Otaku District focused on modern Asian pop culture, including anime and K-Pop.