Mutaytor is a musical group with over 35 performers including our own Jerri Manthey who spins fire, plays the djembe drum and dances. Born in Black Rock City at the world-renown Burning Man Festival and incubated in Los Angeles' tribal-techno underground, The
Mutaytor combines 50 thundering fluorescent-green drums, live improvisational electronica, breathtaking fire performers, sensual hoop dancers, dazzling aerial stunts and giant video projections, topped off with a 1.3 million volt tesla coil performance of a man in a metal suit being struck by lightning.
They have been featured in the New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle as well as the Los Angeles New Times, Fox 11 News, (Los Angeles), CBS News (Network), Channel 4 News (Los Angeles), Entertainment Tonight (2003 Stunt Awards) and many local and online publications.
The Mutaytor specializes in large festival concerts including the 2002 & 2003 Coachella Music and Arts Festival (65,000 attendance each year), 2002's Metropolis (Spundae) at 3-Com/ Candlestick Park in San Francisco (20,000 attendance) and 2002 & 2003's Decompression Street Fair, San Francisco (15,000 attendance).
They have headlined stages at city sponsored and corporate events including The City of West Hollywood's annual Halloween Parade and Carnival in 2001, 2002, and 2003 (over 400,000 in attendance each year), 2003's West Hollywood Pride Festival (over 100,000 in attendance), the 2003 Special Olympics, Arts In Action (music therapy for inner city kids), the 2003 Taurus Stunt Awards after-party on the Paramount Studios Lot , Cirque Du Soleil's Varekai and Zumanity grand-opening VIP events, the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, and UCLA's World of Sacred Music Festival performing alongside drummers from around the world including Koshin Taiko (Japanese Taiko), Swing Brazil, and the Lifou Island Dance Troupe (Bali).
In the spring of 2002, the Mutaytor was the only band invited to perform for 2500 students at Gallaudet University, the nation's largest deaf college in Washington D.C. To date they have performed at countless nightclubs, underground dance events, corporate events and private parties throughout California.
The Mutaytor provides a dazzling visual and auditory performance specially designed to fit each show with consideration to venue size, budget, time constraints, zoning and fire codes, as well as the aesthetic of the event itself. The collective possesses an astounding range of visual and sound permutations. If required, they can provide their own sound, lighting, staging, visual and special effects, as well as some of the best-trained technical and safety personnel in Southern California.
All of the Mutaytor's fire performers have been exhaustively trained in fire safety, and every performance is monitored by trained on-stage safety persons. They adhere closely to state and local fire/safety legislation, and have at least 3 certified and inspected fire extinguishers and fire blankets on stage at all times. All fire tools and electrical devices have been inspected and passed without exception by dozens of fire marshals throughout California, Nevada and the District of Columbia. In venues where fire-performance is not appropriate, all tools have doubled versions outfitted with LED's and electro-luminescent wire for a stunning visual alternative.
The Tesla coils, which fire snakelike arcs of lightning directly into Dr. Megavolt's specially grounded suit, were designed at the Berkley Research Laboratories by Austin Richards, Phd. The machines are rigorously and meticulously maintained by Dr. Richards and his team for the utmost safety.
To see photo galleries of past performances as well as a calendar of future events, log onto www.mutaytor.com. All questions regarding bookings, endorsements and distribution can be addressed to Matty Nash at 213-434-1585 or tay@mutaytor.com.