This is worse than the sandtrooper/stormtrooper debacle.  In doing this review, I had to do a whole bunch of research to find out some of the most minute details and bits of info I could find.  Actually, it’s always enlightening, no matter how many times you do it. 

There’s been controversy over how many band members are a part of The Modal Nodes.  Early on, it was thought that there were 5.  After some debate, that became 6.  And then much later in 2011, a seventh player was given a (then) canonical name.  Finally, there is another Bith in the audience, and in the old EU, he was included as an occasional performer for the band, filling in when necessary as an eighth member.

Watching the cantina scene carefully (again) shows that there are only 4 shots of the band.  That’s right, just 4.  The first shot happens after Kabe reaches for her drink and we get the headshot of Labria.  The camera pans slowly from right to left.  You can see 5 band members easily - 3 in the foreground and 2 more in the background.  But if you notice, the shot begins and pans from the point where there is a 6th player’s arm just visible at the right edge of the screen.  The 5 players shown are (from right to left foreground) Figrin D’an (Kloo Horn), Tedn Dahai (Fanfar #1), Nalan Cheel (Bandfill), and (from right to left background) Sun’il Ei’de (banging away at invisible drums) and Ickabel G’ont (Fanfar #2).

Later, after we return from the exterior scene of the droids worriedly watching the Sandtroopers arrive, there are 3 more consecutive (and final) shots of the band.  The first tilts upward and focuses on Tedn Dahai and Figrin D’an, with Nalan Cheel and Ickabel G’ont barely visible.  Immediately following is the second shot that tilts upward, focusing on 2 Bith.  The seated one on the right is Tech M’or (Ommni Box), while the player standing to the left is Doikk Na’ts (Fizzz), whose face you never see.  The third shot then follows and features Nalan Cheel, with Tedn Dahai to the right and Ickabel G’ont in the background.

When you realize that the arm at the right edge of the very first standalone shot is that of Doikk Na’ts, who is featured in the second of the 3 consecutive shots, you can mentally stitch them together to reveal all 7 performers.  Meanwhile, before any of this is visible, Lirin Car’n, the floating member of the band, is shown seated at a table with Muftak, Djas Puhr, and Myo in the shot immediately after Hem Dazon hogs the opening frame.

One other note:  while we can’t find specific proof online, Chris and I agree that it is likely that the Modal Nodes were not present for principal shooting at Elstree Studios, but were shot during later pick ups.  In none of the behind-the-scenes shots does there seem to be any evidence of the Bith players being present at Elstree, and in the shots of the band that made the film, there is not a single other actor/character that shares any of the frames.  No other patrons are visible, not even a silhouette passing in front of the camera.  As Chris said to me, it’s truly amazing at how incredibly well the scene came together despite the nonsense that went on at multiple sets.

Okay, film lesson over.  Now on to Hasbro:

In 1997, a Fan Club Exclusive figure of “Cantina Band Member” was offered in a white mailer box, packaged with 5 different instruments.  Based on the included accessories, you could make the figure represent any of 6 band members.  Buying 6 of these allowed you to put together everyone on stage except for Sunil Ei’de on drums.  The figures, in theory, were pretty well articulated by 1997 standards, with swivel head, shoulders, wrists, waist, and hips, along with hinged elbows.  The articulation was Hasbro’s best attempt to allow this single figure to interact with 5 different instruments.  It’s far from perfect, but you can manage this with a lot of patience.  It also isn’t the most stable when standing, and most collectors, after experiencing the domino effect in their cardboard cantinas, probably gave up and put them on peg stands.

Also is 1997, in their 12” line, Hasbro released 6 separately packaged band members.  Each was given an actual (first) name on the package.  Tedn (Dahai) and Ickabel (G’ont) were identical inside their respective packages, as both were accessorized with the same fanfar.

In 2007, during the Thirtieth Anniversary Collection run, Hasbro updated the POTF2 figure by including 5 together in this set titled “Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes Episode IV Commemorative Tin.”  The set includes an ANH-inspired tin box, with two carded packages containing 2 and 3 figures, respectively.  This time the plastic tunic are replaced with soft goods, the undershirt is painted white instead of black, and the face and hands are given paint washes to provide more detail and depth.  The sculpts are otherwise the same.  Also, the instruments are given premium paint jobs.  Five band members are included in the set, each holding their own instruments (aided by clear rubber bands).  Other than Figrin D’an’s name being included in the title of the set, the individual players are not named.  However, as a nod to the fact that a 6th band member was missing from the commemorative tin, there is a note on the cardback of the 3-pack that says “Called out sick:  Doikk Na’ts.”  This seemed to be Hasbro’s attempt at some self-deprecating humor, but of course they botched it.  Given the instruments included in the set, it’s clear that they should have said either Tedn Dahai or Ickabel G’ont had called out sick, since there is only one fanfar accessory, while Doikk’s Fizzz is present.  I’ve made the executive decision that the missing figure is Ickabel G’ont, since he/she* played second fanfar to Tedn Dahai, who was front and center in several of the film shots.

Finally, also in 2007, Hasbro gave an exclusive to Disney Parks which consisted of this exact TAC figure released in 5 separate TAC cardback packages, all named generically as “Cantina Band Member.”  Each included an electronic stage as a base, which lit up and played cantina music.  Cool!  The 5 carded figures were given one of the 5 instruments that came with the commemorative set.  Aside from the unique base, the contents are repacked directly from that set.

While the Bith appear to be basically identical (all Bith look alike), the figures’ lack of knee articulation means that Tech M’or cannot be properly seated in order to play his Ommni Box.  At no point has Hasbro ever released a “drum” set for the Modal Nodes, so while the figure would be identical, you can’t really include Sun’il Ei’de on stage unless you have some kind of custom instrument.  For the images in the gallery, I just have a Bith figure standing in as Sun’il, but he’s not actually playing any instrument.  Finally, you could also just take an 8th figure, add a poncho accessory from another figure, and without performing any kind of surgery, you can have yourself a Lirin Car’n to be in the cantina.  Chris has done this for himself, and his handiwork can be seen in the Saga 02-40 Djas Puhr gallery.  Again, the lack of knee articulation means he can’t sit, but that’s a problem shared by a lot of our cantina figures.

The TAC version of the figure, with updated paint apps, soft goods, and painted instruments, gets a 4.  The POTF2 version gets a 3.

For the record and for your convenience, here are the Modal Nodes:

1. Figrin D’an on Kloo Horn
2. Tech Mo’r on the Ommni Box [He should be sitting down to play this]
3. Nalan Cheel on the Bandfill
4. Doikk Na’ts on Dorenian Beshniquel (AKA Fizzz)
5. Tedn Dahai on Fanfar
6. Ickabel G’ont* on Fanfar [although some sources say “Double Jocimer”]
7. Sun’il Ei’de on the Gasan String Drum
8. Lirin Car’n (Alternate member, sat at a table in the Cantina)

* In Disney Canon, Ickabel is now a lady Bith, while the character was a male in the old EU.