A Brand New Record! For Nineteen Ninety!
They Might Be Giants (+20) brand new album Flood!
Vic Theatre Chicago
Saturday, October 10, 2009
(TMBWiki review here)
First off, let me apologize for this being a week late. i blame the influx of having three papers and a Hebrew exam last week. As it is now reading week, i can now more easily delve into the adventure of blogging. Or LiveJournaling. Or whatever this actually is.
Ahem.
So, on Saturday i made the trek out to the Vic (which is off the Red Line, which apparently everything in the entire City of Chicago is, as it is the only L i've ever needed 2 months into living here) to catch what is historically my favorite band. For something like 15 years now. Seriously. My "top 5" rotates rather regularly, but John and John occupy a shelf unto themselves. And, well, the opportunity to see them perform Flood, and all of Flood, especially a couple of days after seeing The Decemberists perform Hazards of Love, was one i was not at all about to miss.
This show represents my fourth live experience with They Might Be Giants, my others being in Moscow, Spokane, and San Francisco.
One of the wonderful things about a TMBG show is that, well, you pretty much know what you're going to get. And what you are going to get is completely wonderful. John and John don't change. Seriously. i've seen both the lads in those shirts before, and the backup band is similar to when i caught them 8 years ago (The Band of Dans), except with a new drummer. Their banners, particularly the Flood logo banner, were errie reminders of my high school days, when i would obsessively scrawl all things TMBG on my notes, book covers, binders, and random pieces of paper, including and specifically the Flood logo. In exactly the same style and not quite lined up well as was depicted in their banner.
Yes ladies and gentlemen, i was/am that guy.
They Might Be Giants shows are one of those unique gems in life that will fill you with ultimate happiness. For a very short time, of course, but nevertheless. How many other shows can one go to where just about everyone in the sell out crowd is singing along? And knows the majority of the words? TMBG combine professional showmenship, multi-instrumental talent, multi-genre expertise, expert songwriting, and a wonderful sense of the world that i'm pretty sure most people don't get. Which is probably why 14-16 year olds will always swoon over John and John. This is a show where 60 year olds will drink beer and sing along with 14 years olds who will drink pop and sing along. And probably dance more, on account of their joints not hurting as much.
If you're looking for a show that could conceivable combine punk, waltz, pop, electronica, and polka, this is the show for you. They are not ever to be missed.
After a very interesting opening act that i was unable to hear, because EVERYBODY AND THEIR MOTHER (literally) WAS TOO BUSY TALKING SO LOUDLY THAT I COULDN'T HEAR A DARN THING FROM THE STAGE, They took the stage. So, props to The Guggenheim Grotto for opening to such a crowd, and playing well. i'd recommend them if you like ukelele rock.
As i said earlier, this was a Flood show. Unlike The Decemberists, however, they didn't play Flood all the way through or necessarily in perfect order. The show was interspersed - very obviously and usually with loud noises and flashing lights, with other songs, eps from that era, and a new sock puppet duo, The Avatars, that will be 2010's best band. Or something like that.
Main Set:
Meet the Elements (new - from Here Comes Science)
James K. Polk (sans confetti cannon)
--Flood Show--
Theme from Flood
Birdhouse in Your Soul
Lucky Ball and Chain
Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
Dead
--Flood break - The Avatars --
Shoehorn with Teeth
A Shooting Star is Not A Star (new - from Here Comes Science)
--back to Flood--
We Want A Rock
Twisting
Someone Keeps Moving My Chair
Hearing Aid
Minimum Wage
Letterbox
--Flood break--
Why Does the Sun Shine?
Cowtown
--back to Flood--
Whistling in the Dark
Hot Cha
Your Racist Friend
Particle Man
Women and Men
Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love
They Might Be Giants
Road Movie to Berlin
--Encore 1--
Damn Good Times
Clap Your Hands
Graveyard
The Mesopotamians
--Encore 2--
Drink (w/ audience participation)
Ana Ng
New York City
The show photos from my camera (which actually sucks as a concert, no flash camera compared to my old, dead Cannon (RIP) which actually turned out:
Overall impression: Awesome, as always. Going to a TMBG show, even alone, kinda makes me feel like i've come home. Oddly enough. But if you ever have a chance to see them, please do.
Vic Theatre Chicago
Saturday, October 10, 2009
(TMBWiki review here)
First off, let me apologize for this being a week late. i blame the influx of having three papers and a Hebrew exam last week. As it is now reading week, i can now more easily delve into the adventure of blogging. Or LiveJournaling. Or whatever this actually is.
Ahem.
So, on Saturday i made the trek out to the Vic (which is off the Red Line, which apparently everything in the entire City of Chicago is, as it is the only L i've ever needed 2 months into living here) to catch what is historically my favorite band. For something like 15 years now. Seriously. My "top 5" rotates rather regularly, but John and John occupy a shelf unto themselves. And, well, the opportunity to see them perform Flood, and all of Flood, especially a couple of days after seeing The Decemberists perform Hazards of Love, was one i was not at all about to miss.
This show represents my fourth live experience with They Might Be Giants, my others being in Moscow, Spokane, and San Francisco.
One of the wonderful things about a TMBG show is that, well, you pretty much know what you're going to get. And what you are going to get is completely wonderful. John and John don't change. Seriously. i've seen both the lads in those shirts before, and the backup band is similar to when i caught them 8 years ago (The Band of Dans), except with a new drummer. Their banners, particularly the Flood logo banner, were errie reminders of my high school days, when i would obsessively scrawl all things TMBG on my notes, book covers, binders, and random pieces of paper, including and specifically the Flood logo. In exactly the same style and not quite lined up well as was depicted in their banner.
Yes ladies and gentlemen, i was/am that guy.
They Might Be Giants shows are one of those unique gems in life that will fill you with ultimate happiness. For a very short time, of course, but nevertheless. How many other shows can one go to where just about everyone in the sell out crowd is singing along? And knows the majority of the words? TMBG combine professional showmenship, multi-instrumental talent, multi-genre expertise, expert songwriting, and a wonderful sense of the world that i'm pretty sure most people don't get. Which is probably why 14-16 year olds will always swoon over John and John. This is a show where 60 year olds will drink beer and sing along with 14 years olds who will drink pop and sing along. And probably dance more, on account of their joints not hurting as much.
If you're looking for a show that could conceivable combine punk, waltz, pop, electronica, and polka, this is the show for you. They are not ever to be missed.
After a very interesting opening act that i was unable to hear, because EVERYBODY AND THEIR MOTHER (literally) WAS TOO BUSY TALKING SO LOUDLY THAT I COULDN'T HEAR A DARN THING FROM THE STAGE, They took the stage. So, props to The Guggenheim Grotto for opening to such a crowd, and playing well. i'd recommend them if you like ukelele rock.
As i said earlier, this was a Flood show. Unlike The Decemberists, however, they didn't play Flood all the way through or necessarily in perfect order. The show was interspersed - very obviously and usually with loud noises and flashing lights, with other songs, eps from that era, and a new sock puppet duo, The Avatars, that will be 2010's best band. Or something like that.
Click to viewMain Set:
Meet the Elements (new - from Here Comes Science)
James K. Polk (sans confetti cannon)
--Flood Show--
Theme from Flood
Birdhouse in Your Soul
Lucky Ball and Chain
Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
Dead
--Flood break - The Avatars --
Shoehorn with Teeth
A Shooting Star is Not A Star (new - from Here Comes Science)
--back to Flood--
We Want A Rock
Twisting
Someone Keeps Moving My Chair
Hearing Aid
Minimum Wage
Letterbox
--Flood break--
Why Does the Sun Shine?
Cowtown
--back to Flood--
Whistling in the Dark
Hot Cha
Your Racist Friend
Particle Man
Women and Men
Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love
They Might Be Giants
Road Movie to Berlin
--Encore 1--
Damn Good Times
Clap Your Hands
Graveyard
The Mesopotamians
--Encore 2--
Drink (w/ audience participation)
Ana Ng
New York City
The show photos from my camera (which actually sucks as a concert, no flash camera compared to my old, dead Cannon (RIP) which actually turned out:
Overall impression: Awesome, as always. Going to a TMBG show, even alone, kinda makes me feel like i've come home. Oddly enough. But if you ever have a chance to see them, please do.