Photo AND review by Liza Wilson
They Might Be Giants embarked on a sold out tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their album hit “Flood” which was released at the beginning of the 90s. The tour was divided into two sets. The band played the entirety of Flood, making time for other hits and fan favorites in between. In total the band played almost 30 songs.
John Linnell of They Might be Giants
They Might Be Giants brings a distinct sound, with catchy fast tunes that anybody could dance along to. Even if the audience didn’t know all the words, they stayed engaged with the performers, dancing along. The two frontmen played their signature instruments. Flansburgh was on the guitar and most ironically, Linnell on his accordion. But there were also other musicians that were brought along on the tour as additions to the live band. Such as the group Linnell and Flansburgh referred to as “The Horns” which was a highly talented trio featuring a saxophone player, a trombone player, and a baritone player. Towards the end of the set, the horns were given the opportunity to show off their skills. One of the most memorable was the trombone player who held long, as well as impressively high notes.
They Might be Giants Saxophone Player Stan Harrison
The tour also featured special visual effects that were projected behind the band as they played. Some of these visuals included drawings, and others were engaging stage effects that matched the beat and tempos of the songs. Another fun feature of the tour was the paper hats and headbands that were handed out to fans as they entered. These silly headbands had the word “They” on them and were worn by many fans throughout the show.
They Might Be Giants is not a tour to miss out on this year. Although, it may be hard to obtain tickets because these shows are rightfully selling out left and right!
PF Wilson has been writing about music, TV, radio, and movies for over 20 years. He has also written about sports, business, and politics with his work appearing in Cincinnati CityBeat, The Houston Press, Cleveland Scene, Cincinnati Magazine, Cincy Magazine, Atomic Ranch, and many more. Check out his podcast PF’s Tape Recorder available from Podbean or in iTunes.