STOMP!

Man, oh MAN! This is one heck of a show! One word: AWESOME. I got friends telling me that I'm foolish to spend $113 to watch 8 ppl banging trash cans. Well, that's only half true: the "banging trash cans" half. I mean, this crew's courier service must be looking at the weirdest delivery list in the world (for 8 shows):

30 Brooms,

8 Lids,

1 Tall Bins UK,

5 Short Bins US,

10 6ft 6in poles,

15 Pounds of Sand,

4 blocks of Athletes chalk,

12 pairs of Drumsticks,

200 litres of Water,

8 Bananas,

and 12 boxes of Matches.

That's not all, I think. They also bought some local newspapers for one of the items. And then there're lighters, oil drums, rubbish bins, sinks, rubber tubes, tea leaf crates, measuring tape, saw, plungers, and a million other things that I missed out. The point? They all make wonderful music. Yeah, MUSIC. Even I myself thought it'll be a purely percussion-oriented show, but the rubber tube item was amazing. Using rubber tubes of various lengths, they create notes, and then you guessed it, MUSIC. So simple in theory (everybody knows it), and yet so wonderful in execusion (nobody thought of it).

If the show is just ppl banging stuffs, then they're nothing more than the buskers you see around Orchard Rd. However, STOMP got one thing they don't: Theatre. Add in a bit of acting here, a bit of mime there, a bit of dance everywhere, a bit of story to link it all together, and you got yourself the love child of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Metalica. That's quite smart, actually. Design the show such that it MUST be performed in a theatre setting (the lighters item needs complete darkness), then you can start charging ppl crazy ticket prices and make cray profits, instead of just putting your hat by the sidewalk.

But wait! That's not all! For the audience, it'd be head-splitting if all you do is banging and smashing and kicking and whacking and... you get the picture. So, the performers involved the audience in their show as well! Brilliant! I tell you, the one huge reason to buy the best/most expensive seat in the house for this kind of show is that you get the best view and involvement.

One example: a dude was sweeping the floor, he realised that we're all watching him, and he just watched us in return. Suddenly, a babe in the front row caught his eye. He tried to hit on her, then swept the dust in her boyfriend's face. That started the show and it's so, so funny.

Another example: this Loser dude was trying to do a solo item, but he kept getting bullied or interrupted everytime he tried to perform. So when he was about to attempt his item with his tools for the 4th time, a kid in the audience shouted, "What'cha gonna do with those (tools)!?" Everyone just bursted into laughter, and the performer actually acted along and mouthed the word, "Wait!". Marvellous stuff, I tell you...

They also taught us to clap to their beat and cue us in during their items. We were so into it, we actually STOMPed the floor to call for encore. The encore item got the whole audience up from their seats and clapped and STOMPed and cheered and danced. It was one of a kind, I can definately say that. :-)

The show was here in 1999 but I couldn't afford it then. Feels great to have finally watched it this time round, or else I might have to wait till 2011! The verdict? If they do come back in 2011, I'll be the first in line to watch it again!