Proctors, Schenectady, New York

BLAST! TO PERFORM AT THE MAINSTAGE AT PROCTORS ON SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2008 AT 4PM.

Schenectady, NY- BLAST! is scheduled to perform at the main stage at Proctors on Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 4pm.

BLAST!, a celebration of movement and music, almost defies description -- and it has left critics everywhere surprised and delighted. Howard Kissel of the New York Daily News says: “What a cast, what a ‘Blast!’ An exhilarating evening.” Bruce McCabe of the Boston Globe says, “BLAST! doesn’t falter while bridging the categories of classical, blues, jazz, rock n roll, and techno-pop music. BLAST! stands, blows, pounds, marches, and whirls with panache. It sent the full house into repeated bursts of cheering and applause [with] the thrill of seeing sheer virtuosity in a different kind of art form. BLAST! is entertainment of a high order.” And Kevin Nance of The Tennessean raves, “I was helpless in the path of this visual and aural juggernaut, which far outdoes [Stomp and Riverdance] with youthful energy and cocky panache. …I had an absolutely an absolutely marvelous time.”

Born on athletic fields across the nation, BLAST! is a novel art form evolved from the showmanship of outdoor pageantry. A unique experience, BLAST! explodes the genre with the artistry of the theatre. BLAST! is musical spectacle; it is music in motion. Described by Richard Christiansen of the, Chicago Tribune, “‘Blast!’ And a truer word was never spoken. A terrific good time … explosive entertainment. It is indeed a blast.”

BLAST! evolved from the drum corps Star of Indiana, which was founded in 1984 in Bloomington, Indiana, by businessman Bill Cook to benefit young people in music education. The Artistic Director James Mason, is a lifelong veteran of drum and bugle corps and other musical activities. In its initial year, Star of Indiana became the first corps ever to place among the top ten corps at the prestigious Drum Corps International World Championships. Star of Indiana improved each year until it became the World Champion in 1991. Competing against other organizations from the United States, Japan, Canada and Europe, Star’s performances revolutionized the world of drum corps, bringing an ever more sophisticated sense of musicianship, exciting showmanship, and dynamic choreography to this wonderful genre. Since 1993, Mr. Mason has been shaping the evolution of Star of Indiana from a competitive, 128 member drum corps, to a theatrical show which brings the power, passion and precision of outdoor pageantry to the stage in a musical performance now known as BLAST!

BLAST! on tour consists of 35 members, drawn from the world of outdoor pageantry all across North America. There are over 40 world titles held by BLAST! cast members who comprise three performing sections – the brass, percussion and visual ensembles. The brass instruments are pitched in the standard multi-keys. The percussion section includes drums, mallet instruments and electronic keyboards. The visual element enhances the show by spinning and tossing unusual implements along with the traditional sabers and colorful flags in perfectly synchronized, ballet-like drill.

The physical and musical demands of the production require that the performers be highly trained athletes who are also world-class musicians. Months of intense training prepare the cast. Rehearsing through heat, cold, dust and rain, they produce thrilling performances where athleticism, musical talent, kaleidoscopic movement, and showmanship merge into an art form that is both compelling and entertaining, or in the words of Richard Quzounian of The Toronto Star, “Get your tickets now! BLAST! is nothing short of breathtaking; a freewheeling fusion of then and now, [it] dazzles the eye, thrills the ear and stirs the spirit. A sure-fire hit.”

Tickets for BLAST! at the main stage at Proctors on Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 4pm are $40, $35, $30 and $20 for Cloud Club balcony seating. There is also ticket pricing available for those 17 and under, excluding Cloud Club. Tickets are available at Proctors Box Office, (518) 346-6204, or online at proctors.org. This show is sponsored by Keeler Motor Car.

This performance is sponsored, in part, by The New York State Council on The Arts, a state agency.

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