View Full Version : They Might Be Giants....
Desredandwhite
12 Dec 2001, 00:42
Just got back from seeing them at the Metro in Sydney.
Can I get a HELL YEAH! from the room? The band of Dans is very very, VERY good indeed.. and the Johns are superb showmen. Well worth my money and time.
With 7 (8?) studio albums to choose from, unfortunately not all the favourites were played in the 2-hour-long set.... Ah well! Thhhheeeeeeeeeeeeee sun is a mass of incandescent gas, a gigantic nuclear furnace.....
Shinboners
12 Dec 2001, 07:55
I didn't catch They Might Be Giants this time around, but I do remember seeing them in the late 80s and they put on a great show then.
Des, did they do much of their early stuff? When I last saw them, they did "Lie Still Little Bottle" and what they did was darken the stage except for a spotlight on a metronome, and they just sang the song......guess you just had to be there.
Desredandwhite
12 Dec 2001, 08:40
shinners, They did a couple from the first pair of albums... Ana Ng, She's an Angel... something from Lincoln whose name escapes me right at this minute....
Highlights included... Dr Worm, The Guitar, Why does the Sun Shine and (surprisingly) Man it's so loud in here - They went to a drum machine backing track and had a mirror ball going and all ;-)
A personal highlight was their cover of Cub's New York City from their Factory showroom album.
The sheer professionalism of the backing band, coupled with incredible musicianship, was great to watch. The Johns ran the show effortlessly and had a fantastic rapport with the crowd. I'm running out of superlatives! Probably the 2nd best live show I've seen, just behind Barenaked Ladies in Melbourne.
Good solid 2 hour gig, and they could have fit so many more brilliant songs in, but they'd have to play for ANOTHER 2 hours ;-)
The Hitman
12 Dec 2001, 08:59
I wanna see 'em in Melbourne. Like 'em a lot.
Look at my name... ;)
The Hitman
Fat Red
12 Dec 2001, 09:24
Originally posted by The Hitman
I wanna see 'em in Melbourne. Like 'em a lot.
Look at my name... ;)
The Hitman
Blues2001 got in before you on that one
Shinboners
12 Dec 2001, 09:30
Thanks for that Des!
Is that the first time you've seen them? When I saw them, it was just the two Johns with the rest of the music on backing tape. I've never seen them with a full band before, so if anyone's seen them with and without backing band, it'd be interesting to hear what people prefer.
Ana Ng.....what a fabulous song that was.
Desredandwhite
12 Dec 2001, 10:21
Originally posted by Shinboners
Thanks for that Des!
Is that the first time you've seen them? When I saw them, it was just the two Johns with the rest of the music on backing tape. I've never seen them with a full band before, so if anyone's seen them with and without backing band, it'd be interesting to hear what people prefer.
Ana Ng.....what a fabulous song that was.
Shinners, that was indeed the first time I'd seen them. I got into them when the live album was released, so I'm a relatively new fan.. but my favourite albums are from the middle era - Flood, Apollo 18, John Henry...
I obviously can't comment on what it was like pre-backing band.. but the Johns did that one song last night with the drum machine and it WAS great, but the backing band adds a lot more energy and improv possibilities. Also as I mentioned, they are INCREDIBLE musicians and really click well together.
Just what IS the matter with you north fans? Honestly, you try to build up a perception of filthy scum, and you lot try to destroy it by being articulate and having good taste. Bah.
Fat Pizza
12 Dec 2001, 13:39
What songs did they play from Flood?
Shinboners
12 Dec 2001, 15:34
Originally posted by Desredandwhite
Shinners, that was indeed the first time I'd seen them. I got into them when the live album was released, so I'm a relatively new fan.. but my favourite albums are from the middle era - Flood, Apollo 18, John Henry...
Just what IS the matter with you north fans? Honestly, you try to build up a perception of filthy scum, and you lot try to destroy it by being articulate and having good taste. Bah.
It's kind of funny that you like Flood and the ones that came after it, whilst I like Flood and the albums that came before it, ie. They Might Be Giants, Don't Let's Start, and Lincoln. I remember getting Apollo 18 and not liking it very much, and I pretty much lost interest in TMBG. However, with the success of their song that's used in that TV show, I've listened to their old CDs and enjoyed the memories.
Oh, and there's nothing wrong with North fans.....being articulate and having good taste is pretty much par for the course for Rooboys and Roogirls everywhere. :)
Desredandwhite
12 Dec 2001, 18:25
Originally posted by Fat Pizza
What songs did they play from Flood?
Ummmm.. Birdhouse in Your Soul, Istanbul (Not Constantinople), Dead, Particle Man, Twisting.
Desredandwhite
12 Dec 2001, 18:35
Originally posted by Shinboners
It's kind of funny that you like Flood and the ones that came after it, whilst I like Flood and the albums that came before it, ie. They Might Be Giants, Don't Let's Start, and Lincoln. I remember getting Apollo 18 and not liking it very much, and I pretty much lost interest in TMBG. However, with the success of their song that's used in that TV show, I've listened to their old CDs and enjoyed the memories.
It's a funny one. I guess I worked backwards, and you worked forward. When I first heard Apollo 18, I didn't like it at all! But after many many listens, it gradually grew on me and I quite like it now!
There's no denying the production values have gone up with each album, but has the writing suffered? IMHO not really. There seems to be a smaller number of "hits" with each successive album though, if that makes sense.
Oh, and there's nothing wrong with North fans.....being articulate and having good taste is pretty much par for the course for Rooboys and Roogirls everywhere. :)
Yes, by and large perfectly decent people with just one fatal flaw ;-) Where's Briedis gone??
Shinboners
12 Dec 2001, 21:36
Originally posted by Desredandwhite
It's a funny one. I guess I worked backwards, and you worked forward. When I first heard Apollo 18, I didn't like it at all! But after many many listens, it gradually grew on me and I quite like it now!
There's no denying the production values have gone up with each album, but has the writing suffered? IMHO not really. There seems to be a smaller number of "hits" with each successive album though, if that makes sense.
[B]
Yes, by and large perfectly decent people with just one fatal flaw ;-) Where's Briedis gone??
Hey,. Breidis is ace! It's by definition....he's a North fan after all.
I didn't give Apollo 18 much of a chance, but I've since sold the CD and I don't plan on buying another one, so I won't go back to it.
I'm not sure that me going off TMBG is an issue of production or song writing quality....they've always been a band that do quirky little pop songs, and I guess that after hearing five albums worth, it can be a bit too much, hence why I haven't chased up any of their new music.
Fat Pizza
13 Dec 2001, 08:56
Originally posted by Desredandwhite
Ummmm.. Birdhouse in Your Soul, Istanbul (Not Constantinople), Dead, Particle Man, Twisting.
Thanks Desredandwhite. Flood is the only TMBG album in my collection. I'm surprised to hear they are so good live. I wish I'd seen them now.