STOMP video
This ensemble of shabbily clad musicians fill the auditorium with percussive rhythm...and ne'er once resort to conventional instruments. Match boxes, brooms, paint cans, and inner tubes are fair game. One particular selection was performed with the use of a large garbage bag, a plastic grocery bag, and a paper lunch sack.
One of the most impressively synchronized numbers of the night involved Zippo lighters. Amazing.
As I marveled at the talent represented on stage, I wondered what disciplines - or combination of such - would lead an artist to THIS concert tour? I would guess that dance (tap and modern), drum corps, and tumbling?? Perhaps even a study of history and tribal celebrations. Such an intrigue.
It was wonderful to spectate for almost two hours at the seamless, continuous sputtering of precisely executed and artfully blended sounds. But the music educator in me was thrilled by the lead performer's ability to involve the audience. Hundreds of us echo clapped on his NON-verbal command. He said nothing. Just animated facial expressions accompanied by exaggerated body movements. He clapped twice. We clapped twice. He clapped a passage of syncopation. We echoed his line almost perfectly. I was amazed. With no spoken instruction or direction he was able to clearly communicate to a vast audience. We collectively varied our volume, our tempo and rhythm...together...in one accord.
