They Might Be Giants is an impressive band on a couple different levels: they have a massive discography that spans the past 23 years, they have a frequent and rigorous touring schedule and they have an incredible ability to amass the weirdest mix of fans I have ever seen at a live show. While the variety ranges from twentysomething cute nerd girls to middle aged men in Homestar Runner t-shirts, The Johns (Flansburgh and Linnell) never fail to produce the nation’s highest volume of fat men in ponytails, year after year.
It was amidst this loyal hoard of oddball fans that I enjoyed TMBG’s Flood show that has been touring the country for the past six months or so. The band has been frequenting U.S. cities and typically playing two shows per visit: One all-ages show intended for children in support of their latest album Here Comes Science, and one for their adult fans during which they play their 1990 album in its entirety. While their fans are indeed loyal, TMBG aren’t really a weird cult band anymore. Over the years they’ve done an array of side work – television show themes, children’s books, contributions to movie soundtracks, work with Disney – as most of the band’s recent releases have been intended for children, this throwback serves not only as a favor to their older fans, but also as a smart move to keep them interested.
So it was a surprise when the band came out and opened the show with a song from Here Comes Science, and an even bigger surprise when they followed that song (“Elements”) with two more non-Flood songs (“Pittsburgh,” Mr. Small’s venue song and live favorite “James K. Polk”). In fact, even after the band finally got to working on the track list from Flood, they would periodically exit and enter the album. Occasionally these breaks would yield a non-Flood older song such as “Cowtown” or “Shoehorn with Teeth,” but more often than not it was an excuse to push the new album or another upcoming children’s endeavor (one interlude found the two Johns performing as sock puppets).
Now it may be nitpicking to begrudge a band the opportunity to promote their new album, but I found myself feeling a bit manipulated. If I had wanted to hear children’s songs, I would’ve gone to the children’s show. As I studied the crowd of die-hard fans around me, I thought about the fact that many of them probably did shell out money to attend both shows. TMBG fans are loyal enough that the band doesn’t need to make extra efforts to reach their aging followers – I’m positive that the average ponytailed 33-year old at the show with me bought Here Comes Science when it came out. So while that guy probably wasn’t annoyed to hear the slowed-down, children’s version of “Why Does the Sun Shine?” instead of the one from Severe Tire Damage, I certainly was.
Sock puppets and children’s albums aside, TMBG put on a good show. They’re talented musicians who know what they are good at: creating poignant, odd rock songs. While an album allows the listeners to consume and pick apart their delicately crafted, genre hopping songs and dry, clever lyrics (and be assured that TMBG fans do just that), a live show gives them a chance to remind you that these are actually good rock songs too. There’s also a benefit to hearing an album like Flood played live: Shorter, weirder songs like “Minimum Wage” or “Hearing Aid” are typically passed over and taken for granted, and it’s nice to see them given the same attention as songs that are always staples at TMBG shows anyway, like “Istanbul” and “Birdhouse.”
What truly set this show apart from others was multi-instrumentalist Ralph Carney. Added to help fill out the odd, miscellaneous instrumental elements of Flood, Carney contributed clarinet, saxophone and horns. The catalog that TMBG have to pull from is so huge and varied, that even on the premise of hearing a particular album it’s hard to predict what you’ll get. Carney’s efforts made songs that we’ve been hearing for years stand out on the stage in a way that they haven’t at past TMBG shows.
The double encore included live favorites like “Drink!” and “Fingertips,” as well as singles from their more recent albums. Despite my Here Comes Science-related complaints, I must admit that TMBG are pretty consistent when it comes to delivering the songs they know their fans enjoy. With Carney’s skills rounding out the band’s solid backing band, the length of their set, and the frequency of their double-show touring schedule, I suppose I can forgive a few children’s songs.
by Melissa Muenz
[Photos: Ben Shirai]
