Shows/1985-07-12
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Setlist: (Incomplete!)
They Might Be Giants
8BC in New York, NY
July 12, 1985 at 11:00 PM
Fan Recaps and Comments:
This show was reviewed by Glenn Kenny in the August 13, 1985 issue of The Village Voice:
Genius Walks
They've been termed a "performance duo" in other rags, but I say pshaw! They Might Be Giants are just a coupla real fun guys. The two Johns — Flansburgh on guitar and vocals, Linnell on accordion and vocals, aided and abetted by live soundman Bill Krauss, who also engineers their prerecorded rhythm tracks — have double-handedly resurrected the transcendently silly/surreal pop song. Imagine a cross between circa 1979 Costello (ascending-scale hooks and general oomph) and Tin Huey, and you've got some of the idea. Throw in some ersatz c&w, a polka, and some truly memorable song titles ("Nothing's Gonna Change My Clothes," "Alienation Is for the Rich," and "Youth Culture Killed My Dog," which I've adopted as an anthem), and you've got a little more.
As you've probably guessed, the whole idea has to be taken in live. At 8 B.C. recently, they (or They) were in fine form, Flansburgh doing a great nerd-at-the-Golden-Nugget schtick for "You'll Miss Me," their fake macho kissoff number (in which the spurned protagonist boasts "Your money talks, my genius walks"), and Linnell looking like Brad Dourif somehow zapped into Lawrence Welk's band. All their tunes fairly bristle with zingers both musical and verbal, and Flansburgh's guitar reintroduces you to the joys of tinniness. Linnell's accordion sounds, of course, just like an accordion.
They Might Be Giants are, in this reporter's opinion, one of the finest entertainment values in show business today. If you don't believe him — well, I'll be personally hurt, but you can call their 24 hour Dial-A-Song service (718-387-6962 — awfully sporting of them to do this, I mean even "nice guy" Phil Collins doesn't have a Dial-A-Song number) for further verification of their general wonderfulness. And if you're not convinced then, well I say pshaw! on you. —Glenn Kenny
