Man Man @ they Flying Anvil, Greensboro 8/03/06
(c)2006 Rash Photo
Man Man seem to occupy a musical space somewhere between Tom Waits and uber art-school circus music. Their live performance brushes vaudeville with a touch of pretention, as the band gathers tightly, forming a intimate circle on the stage; elbow to elbow, face to face. Shooting over the shoulder of the drummer, I tried to capture the spectacle of equpment parked back to back, and band members literally staring each other in the face. The pile of drums in the forground is just one visual (and physical) obstacle between these players, but the energy created as a result is quite unreal. Somehow, you can't help feeling as if you are observing the same setup that exists in a dirty practice space in Philidelphia where this music was first composed.