For years, it seemed like most bands comprised a bunch of straight, white, cisgendered men. Boriiiiiiing! In 2019, we’re starting to break away from that Wonderbread & Chobani bullshit.
One seminal group in dire need of a 5-Hour Energy Shot of Diversity is Vegas-core pioneers Blue Man Group. Never listened to them? They’re basically like Devo for people who don’t like music. They also make their own instruments, but unlike your band’s bassist, they do it intentionally- not out of desperation or lack of money.
So did they add their first POC member into their lineup? Shit, maybe. Fuck if we know. Look at them- it’s really hard to tell. They’re all painted blue.
But let me make my case: After I saw them in Vegas (great show btw), I was telling my grandmother about them. I pulled up a clip on my iPad, and the moment she started watching them, the vein outside her right eye started twitching. I’ve seen that vein twitch before, and it is an obvious tell that sweet Gam-Gam is looking at someone of non-European ancestry.
In no way do I condone her racist central nervous system, but I will gladly exploit it for this article. You know how dogs can detect when an earthquake is about to strike? Gam-Gam is like that with anyone containing pigment in their skin. It’s uncanny and honestly sad. I can only surmise that something interesting going on within the ranks of Las Vegas’ most famous kinda-musicians.
So there you go. Did the Blue Man Group make history by adding a black member? No clue. One of them was particularly, almost naturally, rhythmic and soulful but I can’t use that as evidence or I’m no better than Gam-Gam.