Color is the theme that threads the different musical pieces together. Beginning with Ravel's Bolero, the audience is pulled into this new music/dance/theatre experience as the band takes the stage marching, twirling, and weaving. The performers aren't simply musicians--they dance, sing, act, and play their brass and drums. "Loss," in the Blue section of the color wheel, is particularly touching. Even the flag team--a very sexy and talented flag team--is represented. The Green section melds into a sober and lovely rendition of "Simple Gifts," then concludes quietly with Copland's Appalachian Spring. In the black light of "Battery Battle," you're pulled into the rhythm of the lone drummer, then dueling snare drums, and finally a row of energetic, blindfolded drummers who never miss a beat. "Medea" combines movement and music in a dramatic interpretation of Samuel Barber's piece, and, set to a dance-club beat, "Lemon Techno" is a flurry of yellow flags, poles, and sensuous movement. A spectacularly sultry "Malaguena" drenched in red ends the program.

It's easy to see why Blast is a PBS favorite. It's an amazing new type of performance--one that every high school marching band member will want to emulate. Included here is a 25-minute documentary, Music in Motion: The Making of Blast, which takes you behind the scenes to the conception of the show and into the ensemble's homes and lives as they perform in London's West End. --Dana Van Nest

From the Back Cover
The program:

Overture of Color: Bolero (Maurice Ravel)
Violet: Villa Borghese (Ottorino Respighi); Split Complementaries (Josh Talbot)
Blue: Everybody Loves the Blues (Ferguson/Lane); Loss (Don Ellis)
Green: Down by the Wood (Pinney/Vanderkloff); Simple Gifts (Aaron Copland); Appalachian Spring (Aaron Copland)
Black: Battery Battle (Hannum/Lee/Rennick); Medea (Samuel Barber)
Intermission (Vernon Johnson)
Color Wheel (Dan Ponce)
Yellow: Officer Krupke (Leonard Bernstein); Lemon Techno (Jonathan Vanderkoff)
Orange: Tangerinamadidge (Jonathan Vanderkloff); Land of Make Believe (Chuck Mangione); Spiritual of the Earth--Marimba Spiritual (Minoru Miki), Earth Beat (Michael Spiro)
Red: Malaguena (Lecuna/Holman)

Produced by Cook Group Incorporated and Star of Indiana, Blast! brings together 68 brass, percussion, and visual performers in a unique explosion of music and theatre. Born on athletic fields across the nation, Blast! is a novel art form evolved from the showmanship of outdoor pageantry. Blast! is a musical spectacle; it is music in motion. Ranging from classical to the blues, it is jazz, rock and roll, and techno-pop. With color, light, movement, and music, Blast! explores and explodes the genre with new artistry. According to Richard Hayward of London's Theatre Week, "The sheer spectacle of the show is breathtaking... Do yourself a favor, see this show, and prepare to have your mind blown!" Also includes an additional 25 minutes of Music in Motion: The Making of "Blast!" 115 minutes.