TV Appearances   

UPDATE (August 13, 2008): The original video to which this post refers, from Blue Man Group's performance on America's Got Talent, was pulled fromYouTube. I've replaced it with a live performance on April 20, 2008 in Rockford, Illinois from the Blue Man Group's “How To Be a Megastar Live” tour.

Last night was the season premier of the train wreck that is America's Got Talent on NBC and it didn't disappoint. Like any good train wreck, I couldn't take my eyes away no matter how bad it got.

But however bad the show is (or has been), back in the first season there was one performance that stuck in my mind...

Of course it wasn't an actual contestant, it was Blue Man Group (with guest vocalist / violinist Tracy Bonham) doing this amazing rendition of The Who's Baba O'Riley that hovers right in the gray area between parody of and tribute to a typical rock show.

While I agree with many of the YouTube commenters that it's a bit strange to hear this tune sung by a female vocalist, and one without an overly powerful voice at that, I'm still fairly confident you'll find it to be a real face-melter.

Thanks to potato794 for the video and to vagabonding for making the suggestion.

Baba O'Riley appears on Blue Man Group's “The Complex Rock Tour Live” DVD featuring live concert footage and three full-length music videos from BMG.

Here's Nirvana's first appearance on French TV, as introduced by the famously fast delivery of Antoine de Caunes for the show Nulle Part Ailleurs (translation: Nowhere Elsewhere).

The appearance kicked off the European leg of Nirvana's In Utero Tour and this is a great pro-shot video of the band playing Rape Me, Pennyroyal Tea & Drain You.

The performances and playing from the band are superb, not to mention their great matching outfits. But perhaps the best part of the whole thing is the comment thread on YouTube which quickly dissolves into a war of words between the French and Americans. Here's a sample...

American: “FRENCH PEOPLE SUCK! Nirvana is from the United States of America. What the hell has france done for the U.S. lately?”

French: “you are a smart american because you know that french is a country!! bravo because you people are a stupid”

Wow, apparently lots of pent up hostility. Maybe these guys should form a band and break some stuff.

UPDATE: The original video that was here has been removed from YouTube so the afore mentioned comment thread is sadly no longer available.

Make no mistake about, Living Colour rocks hard. And though you may think they haven't done anything since the early 90's, if you read their blog and MySpace page you'll be pleased to know they're still making music and continue to be actively involved throughout the music scene.

Here's a great little video of them from the heyday, performing their hit song Cult of Personality on the gone but not forgotten Arsenio Hall Show.

The song begins as usual, with a paraphrased quote from Malcolm X's “Message To The Grass Roots” speech. And it just rips from there. Corey Glover treats the entire studio as his stage, belting out lyrics as he works the room.

Don't miss Vernon Reid's killer solo just past the half way point. It's a true face-melter with Corey and original bassist Muzz Skillings dancing a little jig in the background. If you want to jam like Vernon Reid, pick up a copy of Guitar Hero IIIL Legends of Rock Bundle which includes a new remix of Cult of Personality as the seventh encore track in the main career.

And if you want more live Living Colour, give a listen to Live at CBGB's Tuesday 12/19/89 or for something more recent try On Stage at World Cafe Live DVD.