Shows/1995-03-10

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5 wikians attended: Fitch Jonasd Radjose Roonzilwazlib Zander

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Setlist:

They Might Be Giants
— with Soul Coughing opening —
Madison Theater in Peoria, IL
March 10, 1995 at 7:30 PM


Fan Recaps and Comments:

Tickets were $13.50 in advance, $16 at the door.

Review by Lori Timm, Peoria Journal Star (Mar. 12, 1995):

They Might Be Hypnotists.
The band They Might Be Giants found a highly suggestible crowd at its Friday performance, as the audience shouted on cue, waved goodbye at a farewell lyric and formed a conga line around both levels of the Madison Theater.
The Brooklyn-based group -- led by guitarist John Flansburgh and keyboardist and saxophonist John Linnell -- could get the 828 people in attendance to do almost anything. That's a testament to the persuasive power of their melodies and to the unusual subject matter that's endeared the group to fans.
TMBG has a devoted, energetic following, so the audience probably knew all the words and didn't mind the overwhelming volume that distorted most of Linnell's and Flansburgh's vocals.
Muddled or not, the group's sound is downright infectious. Backed by a brass duo, bassist Tony Maimone and the very powerful drummer Brian Doherty, Flansburgh and Linnell weave funhouse sounds (accordion, horns, glockenspiel) into offbeat songs like "Statue Got Me High," "Twisting" and "Shoehorn with Teeth."
Like TMBG's show last April at Robertson Memorial Field House, this one was full of physical activity. Dancers packed the floor and jumped enthusiastically.
They needed little prompting to start a conga line during "No One Knows My Plan. " Even folks in the balcony got into the act, snaking around the theater seats and obeying Flansburgh's admonition, "For once in your life, please enjoy yourself."
The crowd obviously did -- who can resist a good conga line? -- and had a night of good, clean fun. TMBG drew heavily from its latest album, "John Henry," which is the first using a full complement of musicians and sneaked in a few little-heard numbers, including "She's An Angel."
Earlier material, formerly played by "the two Johns" and a tape machine, still benefits from its simplicity. And a segment in which Linnell directs the band, then audience members, has become shopworn.
But TMBG remembered the old favorites ("Particle Man," "I Palindrome I") and played a set ranging from sweet sentimentality ("Sleeping in the Flowers") and faraway Russian women ("Ana Ng") to Belgian painters ("Meet James Ensor") and lions in silver spaceships ("The Guitar"). Two jaunty encores, one a polka, ended the 90-minute performance. TMBG's part of the evening began after an interminable wait made even longer by piped-in Cheap Trick tunes. (It's a safe bet TMBG didn't choose that music.)

Zander:

This was my first Giants show and still the best I've seen to date. It was one of the first tours with the full band (including horn section) after the release of John Henry. Great show. The Madison Theater is (was? is it still around?) a great venue. One of the best congo lines on "No One Knows My Plan" ever.
Soul Coughing opening was a real treat too, even thought I had no idea who they were, or who Mike Doughty was.
Not sure, however, if Purple Toupee was on the set list. I've maintained for the longest time that I've never heard that song live, and distinctly recall shouting myself hoarse for them to play Purple Toupee, with that being the only disappointment of the show.
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