Blue Man Group at EJ Thomas Hall

f you’ve never caught the Blue Man Group live — hard to believe, actually, what with the permanent outposts in seven cities throughout America, plus the perpetual tour — it’s certainly worth seeing. It’s not too far-fetched to call the silent blue gag-sters a populist cultural phenomenon. God knows — what with the food spitting, the paint splashing, and the toilet-paper flinging — no one would ever call them a sophisticated theatrical ensemble. Yet set against a backdrop of powerful live rock music, the trio’s oddball antics and pervasive sense of wonder make for generation-spanning entertainment. And maybe that’s all the reason you need to catch tonight’s 7:30 show at Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall. Ticket prices range from $35 in the balcony to $62.50 in the pit, where getting hit by flying “substance” is a distinctly delightful possibility. An encore presentation happens June 13. Get tickets by phone, online, or at the E.J. Thomas box office.