Man Man Live Live Tonight Tonight

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 21, 2006 6:33PM

Man Man is one of those bands that is nearly impossible to describe. Hell, their music is as confusing and dense as music gets without completely falling apart. We’ll be totally honest and admit that we probably couldn’t name a single song off their last disc.

But we’ll also be totally honest and tell you these incomprehensible tunes are pure genius and that their live show is a DO NOT MISS kind of experience.

Their album intrigued us when it was released earlier this year, since it reminded us of what it might sound if Tom Waits was let loose in a tool shed, shot up with speed, and outfitted with a firecracker up his ass. And then he was cloned him so there was a whole team of him clanging around that tool shed. That sort of gives you an idea of what the music sounds like. It seems like it would be off-putting, but believe us when we say that in this instance “challenging” equals “groovy.”

While the music is rewarding, it’s their live show – that takes the Tom Waits analogy above, sets it onstage in the guise of five dudes from Philadelphia in varying guises of make-up and ‘70s era gym clothes, and outfit said rhythmic freaks with percussion that defies convention – that really makes them stand out. This summer they took the stage amidst sweltering temperatures at the Pitchfork Music Festival and, even with technical glitches that plagued their performance, transformed a wilting crowd into an exuberant sea of perspiring flesh undulating under their groove. We even spied usually dour hipsters, complete with ironic beards, smiling with glee at Man Man’s infectious enthusiasm.

We predict that the show will translate even more successfully in the relatively small, in comparison to Union Park, confines of The Logan Square Auditorium. Make Believe and Coyote open. Get there early … since it’s an all-ages show the whole shebang kicks off at 7:00 p.m.