LIVE REVIEW: They Might Be Giants @ Barrymore Theatre
Words by Jacob Wood, Photos by Lucero Dunscombe
They Might Be Giants by Lucero Dunscombe
They Might Be Giants’ show at the Barrymore Theatre on Sept. 27 was the second of their two nights playing in Madison. Perfectly in line with the band’s satirical persona, Sunday’s show felt less like a typical performance and more like a cartoonist’s rendition of what a concert ought to be.
Boasting an eight-piece band with three horns, the group’s arrangements were as sophisticated as they were polished. Fan favorites like “Dr. Worm” and “Don’t Let’s Start” were highlights of the night, due in no small part to the tight instrumentation and great performances across the board. Guitarist Dan Miller stole the show on several occasions, with fantastic solos and guitar work on tracks like “Overnight Sensation” and, naturally, “The Guitar.”
The sporadic “Fingertips” drew a massive crowd response, as fans were inexplicably able to sing along to the constant tempo changes and genre switchups. This level of fandom was on display the whole night, with hardly a single audience member refraining from dancing, clapping and singing along.
They Might Be Giants by Lucero Dunscombe
John Linnell and John Flansburgh found plenty of time for shenanigans between songs, talking extensively about their favorite podcasts and laughing about how no one in the audience knew what they were talking about. The charm was tangible, though, and what would have been mundane banter in a typical concert felt more like a standard episode of a sitcom.
Eventually, the silliness burst out of the space between songs and bled into the show itself. Near the end of their first set the Johns presented an arrangement of “Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love” played completely in reverse. Linnell warned “...we know people have brought friends to the show, and that this part might be hard to explain or get past,” a disclaimer which could have prefaced much of the show.
The band fought through some technical difficulties throughout the show, most notably some accordion trouble forcing John Linnell to play keyboard on “Drink!” and “Whistling in the Dark.” Still, the vibe was never lost, with The Might Be Giants repeatedly demonstrating their adaptability and musicality.
The encore treated fans to one last round of hits with “Birdhouse in Your Soul,” “Get Down” and “Particle Man” as well as a cover of “Here You Come Again,” a live staple for the band that also served as a tribute to Dolly Parton.
In the early 2000s, EMMIE sat down with the Johns for an interview. In our writeup, reporter Matt Jacobs wrote: “TMBG is not like any other band. [...] They understand their role in the world. They are entertainers and they have answered the call.” Twenty years later, They Might Be Giants are still fulfilling that role in the way only they can.
