Shows/2009-11-03c

From This Might Be A Wiki


Fan Recaps and Comments:

Weirdalover:

Holy Mother of Confetti and camera restrictions! That was a fun show from top to bottom. I noticed that this is a similar setlist to the last flood show they played but I don't care. They Might Be Giants had a fun time with the show and got all of us to clap and jump and act like completely nuts. Hearing Marty on the electric drumkit was pretty cool. especially to perform that effed up version of Why does the sun shine? and that new cool way of doing James K. Polk. Also TMBG picked great moments to unload all of their confetti on us. first was right at the gunshot part of Lucky Ball & Chain and they unleashed all of their confetti mayhem during the climactic part of They Might Be Giants. They also showed a touch of class by performing Maybe I Know originally written my some guy's name that escapes me at the moment who recently passed. Fingertips was off the charts with interesting vocal effects on Flans during the I don't understand you part. Linnell also ended up sounding like he truly was walking along darkened corridors with that nice fat echo. Also the lights during the show was pretty cool and I guess this is the kind of show TMBG can bring us when they are raking in the Disney Money.

Reynoldbot:

What a show! This was my seventh TMBG show, and I think I have to crown this one as the best of them all. Just from looking at the way the equipment and lights had been set up before the show, I knew this one was going to be something special. They had a new-fangled electronic drum set in addition to Marty's regular set, a large bass drum with a video camera attached, large banners with old school TMBG and Flood-related ephemera printed on them, a raised section for Ralph Carney and all of his horns, and of course the confetti cannons, which they used to excellent effect. You can really see where they've been spending their Disney money. The Johns were in fine form, delivering their trademark banter. Here are some highlights:
  • James K Polk was played quite differently than usual, with Marty on the electric drums. Ralph brought out a mystery instrument for the "singing saw" solo, which remains unidentified.
  • Istanbul featured Carney doing the introduction solo on clarinet.
  • The show was interrupted by the Avatars, two sock puppets controlled by the Johns and filmed by the camcorder and projected onto one of the banners.
  • During Shoehorn With Teeth, Marty unveiled a makeshift instrument consisted of three old-fashion service bells fixed to a block of wood. Using all of his skill and concentration, he was able to hit the bells about three times throughout the song. Funny stuff.
  • Flans regaled the audience about their first time playing at First Ave on the smaller stage at seventh street entry. He remarked at how frightening it was to play there, as the audience were literally standing face-to-face with the band. He described the experience as a prolonged staring contest.
  • Clap your hands was particularly raucus and the audience continued clapping in unison in double time for a long time after the song ended.
  • Cowtown featured Ralph Carney and John Linnell on dueling clarinets. This marks the first time I've seen Linnell play something other than keyboard or accordion at a show.
  • They played Why Does The Sun Shine? similar to how the original from the fifties sounded.
  • During the raucus ending to They Might Be Giants, the confetti cannon fired everything it had, and the way the lights were done, you could not see the stage at all, just thousands and thousands of pieces of confetti all around you. Very cool experience.
  • Immediately after the show, Flans stuck around onstage and handed out free bumper stickers to the audience. They resemble the "8-bit rock" merchandise currently being sold on the website.
I'm really happy that TMBG are trying to branch out with the live show, incorporating more electronic sounds and funky instruments and audience participation. They definitely have not forgotten their performance roots, and continue to put out one of the best live shows around.

Inky:

Seems to me that we were treated to both Sun songs as well as a few others from Here Comes Science!