Man Man

Iron Horse Music Hall (20 Center Street, Northampton MA 01060)

Music

MAN MAN is a highly revered, avant-garde rock band born out of the weird streets of Philadelphia and now brewing in the even weirder sunshine of Los Angeles. The band sounds nothing like but is frequently compared to some of the more well-known godfathers of the genre, Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa, Can, and The Residents.The ever-evolving ensemble mixes and mashes a variety of genres from ragtime to rock, electronic to acoustic, doo-wop to exorcism and it revels in defying classifications, expectations, and anything remotely cliché. Still, what emerges from that mixture are beautifully crafted little pop earworms that can’t easily be dislodged from your brain.Man Man is known for its multi-instrumental style that centers around the piano abusing lead singer, songwriter, and creative force Honus Honus. The other members play a number of important roles, from wielding clavinets and marimbas to a variety of wind instruments, random toys, and noisemakers. The band's famously engaging live shows often feel free and formless, as each musical number morphs intothe next without a break, while its musicians quickly change instruments-and often costumes-as the mood and music dictates.