Man Man are at it again. The shape-shifting, body moving, genre crossing, face painting, Spike Jones-influencing, pirate ship steering, pots and pans banging, doo wopping, xylophone playing, vaudevillian producing, headband wearing, Philadelphia freedom promoting band that only has one mode -- GO!
You can always tell when they are in town when see a hoard of sweaty, dis-shelved people walking out of music venue. Having seen them multiple times, I was hoping that it would be raucous affair, one-stage and off. Indeed, a sold out Maxwell's wasted no time in causes crush of people to thrown around. It was a civil bit, so it more like a big close hug where people fell down and bodies wear smashed against bodies. Can you blame them? Man Man's chaotic free-for-all music is made for getting nutty. The crowd wouldn't let the band leave the stage at the end, as Ryan was picked up and thrown back on stage.
It was a choice time to see the Philly band. They're doing a handful of small venues dates in-between just for the hell of it. Last year's Life Fantastic was their most successful to date, leading to play bigger venues and festivals. I would put them well-up on a list of best live band experiences. It's a cliche, but yes, you expect the unexpected with Man Man. It's a high-voltage, high wire act of creativity among chaos. Antics are a plenty, but what they really thrive on their anything goes attitude. Seafaring pirate music set to doo wop -- why not? They just let the freak-flag fly, and we are better people for being a part of it.
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