Live Review: Man or Astro-man? @ Touch & Go 25th Anniversary 9/9/06

Definitely one of the most prolific bands of the 90's, Man Or Astro-man? released 10 albums in 7 years, toured in various forms and clones, but it hasn't been since 1998 when the original lineup of Star Crunch (Brian Causey) on guitar/occasional vocals, Birdstuff (Brian Teasley) on drums, and Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard (Robert DelBueno) on alternate-universe bass/electronics and Dr. Delecto (Jeff Goodwin) on bass played together, if you overlook the reunion show in Alabama they did on Sept. 6 as a warm up to the Touch & Go performance. Apparently, they have been kept in cryogenic storage for the past 8 years, and Corey Rusk thawed them out to "save the world" but it was only the anniversary show they needed to play. They blasted onto the blacklit stage, overflowing with various dayglo spiraling cords, decked out in Man Or Astro-man? flight jackets. The first few songs of the set sounded a bit messy, it seemed they needed a little more time to thaw out. Technical problems plagued their video components among other effects, so I could barely make out the faint projections of the sci-fi and old government film clips from where I was standing, which was a little disappointing. However, after they showered the crowd with hundreds of mini glowsticks, they really picked up the energy and the sound tightened up, and they roared through the better half of their set in true form. Their signature blend of surf guitar ala Link Wray and intergalactic space themes with various electronic effects, sampling, and crazed theramin mixed with their zany stage antics all added up to a thoroughly entertaining set. Man or Astro-man? really know how to end a show, during the last song Coco wheeled out this tall, homemade Tesla coil, and stalked about the stage like a cartoon mad scientist as he plugged it in, creating a cool spectacle, as Birdstuff disassembled his entire drumset and tossed into the crowd whilst the band continued to play. Definitely a sight to be seen, this giant Tesla coil buzzing its blue lightning zaps as all these drum pieces go surfing above the crowd, and the entire band falling about the stage. It was pure Astro-magic. After which Man or Astro-man? was placed back in cryogenic storage and some lucky fans walked away with a piece of history, or at least pieces of their drumset. See you in another 25? Photos courtesy of Kirstiecat. Check out her other photos from Touch & Go 25th here.