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They Might Be Giants on Tour
They Might Be Giants have been playing together since 1982 — and writing their playful, witty songs as a duo even longer — so the band's onstage chemistry isn't in question. Hearing the Johns (John Flansburgh and John Linnell) banter between songs is a treat in and of itself, but the real spectacle is witnessing their mind meld as they pull lyrically and musically knotty cuts from their catalog of a few dozen albums, EPs and compilations. Although the Johns started out as a pair backed by drum machine and prerecorded cassette, they've been a band since the '90s and are currently backed by longtime members Dan Miller on guitar, Danny Weinkauf on bass and Marty Beller on drums. They're just as likely to go into a stormy Middle Eastern inspired rock-out during their famous version of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)," as to strip back to acoustic guitar (Flansburgh) and baritone sax (Linnell) for the morbid fan favorite "Older." And with a large oeuvre including kids' songs (they won a Grammy for 2008's Here Come the 123s) and film and TV themes (they won another Grammy for Malcolm in the Middle's "Boss of Me"), TMBG have limitless ways to delight and surprise an audience.
They Might Be Giants in Concert
John Flansburgh and John Linnell met as teens growing up in Lincoln, Massachusetts, and began writing songs together in high school. They parted ways for college, but reunited in Brooklyn in 1981 when (somewhat by design) they moved into the same apartment building on the same day. Thus began an incredibly fruitful and truly creative career in music. As They Might Be Giants gained a local fandom for their atypical instruments and unusual subject matter — their synthy 1986 self-titled debut included songs called "(She Was A) Hotel Detective" and "Youth Culture Killed My Dog" — they also experimented with distribution methods. For years, they used local newspapers to advertise a phone number that would greet callers with new songs and fake ads. That answering machine service, dubbed Dial-A-Song, foreshadowed their pioneering use of the internet. TMBG released the first MP3-only album in 1999, and began podcasting in 2005. They also found early success in film and TV after signing with Elektra in 1989 and seeing their 1990 LP Flood go platinum thanks to their MTV-supported single "Birdhouse in Your Soul." Their cover of the Four Lads' "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" wound up getting animated for Steven Spielberg's Tiny Toon Adventures along with "Particle Man," and they subsequently wrote or performed songs for Malcolm in the Middle, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Dexter's Laboratory and more. TMBG were even Tony-nominated for their work on SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical. Beginning in 2002 with the album No!, the Johns found success writing children's music and have interspersed their regular flow of rock-oriented albums with family fare. They Might Be Giants continue to be remarkably prolific, releasing three albums in 2018 alone: I Like Fun, My Murdered Remains and The Escape Team.
Bought tickets in 2019, there was some postponement. Their performance was delightful, comfortable, and only awkward at one point. Very entertaining and friendly atmosphere. Enjoyed all the songs from flood except for maybe how they framed one of them. Some of the ones from book were good. Over-all I would recommend and see again.
Had a blast! I think I've seen TMBG 6 times over the last 30 years and they are always fantastic.
Great show! TMBG was worth waiting 1180 days for!!
They were so talented and clever. I had a blast. I hope I get a chance to see them again.
Awesome show by TMBG. Venue needs to speed up the load-in, that took a stupidly long time. We've neen to many shows at HoB Dallas and this one had the most ridiculously long and slow entry line we ever encountered there. They also had the 2nd floor bathroom blocked off, which was not awesomeness after waiting so long in the rain to get inside. Merch was in a weird location where folks had to like up down a stairwell - not very ADA friendly. After the show, they hustled us out, which was rude considering how long they took to let us in. Thumbs down. The band itself was amazing. The venue, meh performance.
Once again House of Blues had an insane line to enter the venue. With only 2 people checking IDs at the door and only 3 medal detectors that were WAY more sensitive than ones at TSA. I had nothing metal on & set it off 3x before the person used a wand. If there were 3-4 more employees helping, once someone set it off 1 time, the next person behind me could enter while another guard used the wand on me. BUT EVERYONE in line had to wait while I went in & out and wait while she used the wand. Many people arrived early and missed the first 10-20 minutes of the show! Then, once inside, the GA area was so full we were up against the bar area. The lines for the bar are so long, we were pushed against folks in the GA area. Again. Hire 2 more people to help! It seems like I use to go here and have a good time. Be warned if a show is even near “sold out” you will be pressed up against someone and either the bar, the side walls or the VIP ropes. Never again. Even if you’re “VIP” you have to fight through to get to the bathroom & bar. IDC who is playing, I won’t be there.
The show was well produced and the two front men were entertaining. The sound was mixed well and the venue handled everything wonderfully. Docking half a star for the annoying long and loud horn solos, the saxophone player in particular was not very good, and another half star for some people in the crowd who ruined the experience for everyone around them.
As always, They Might be Giants put on a great show. If you get the chance to go to one of their shows, do it!
TMBG were just as good as the first time I saw them back in 1996. Even look about the same. The venue was great and the setlist was just right to honor Flood and other songs.
This was an awesome show, we have been waiting for it since 2019 (thanks COVID). They even played a whole song backwards and the played the recording of the song frontwards. The most awesome thing I have ever seen.
These guys clearly have so much fun onstage and they make you feel a part of it. They also somehow make 30-year-old songs they've probably played close to a million times feel as bouncy and young as ever. "Sapphire Bullets" played backwards was a highlight.
I've seen TMBG a couple of times before, and they have never disappointed. This show was no exception. This show was a package deal! The sound (thanks Techs!), the whole band's performance (Thanks Johns and Company), the wit and humor, and that stunt they pulled with Sapphire Bullets in the first and second set was phenomenal. I had purchased the tickets for this show in May of 2020, for a show originally scheduled for October of that same year. It was worth the wait. Why is the world in love again? TMBG live shows are why. :)
This show was originally scheduled for 2020. One global pandemic and 3 rescheduled dates later, I finally got to see the show. It was a great show that was full of old favorites and newer music that I am (admittedly) not as familiar with. I’d absolutely go see one of their shows again in the future.
They seem to think they are Metallica. Most of the songs were muddled by shriekingly loud volume. They are fun songwriters and you couldn't enjoy the songs. The Fox played Fugazi's Waiting Room at the intermission. That had more energy and clarity than the band's entire 1st set.
Humphreys isn’t a great venue unless it’s warm summer weather. Great location but it’s basically a big outside lawn area on the water at a hotel resort. The concert was scheduled during a very rainy spring, so of course it was raining. But these guys were such troopers and made it fun. They were in a downpour with the rain blowing right on them and all their instruments (including brass section) and still did a full length concert. I was gonna leave but they were so funny and entertaining it made it really fun. They were soaked but still put their full effort in. It turned out to be an excellent concert.
We bought these tickets before the pandemic -they were totally worth the wait! Love them!
This was my first time doing GA at Humphreys. I liked it. Usually a seated show here is very tight fitting. But because this wasn't a crowded show it was ok to stand and dance. The band was funny, fun and energetic! They have a great repore with the audience.
It was a blast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Two sets and three encores! They left it all on the stage. I’d hate to have to be the one to clean up after them!
I saw them at the Wiltern in L.A. and the show was OUTSTANDING! Darlings of Lumberland, Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love and Damn Good Times were favorites. The crowd, including myself, sang to all the songs and the band sounded tight and put on a great show. I've lost count of how many times I've seen TMBG, but it never gets old.
