As the concerts at New York's famous Irving Plaza, TMBG devoted this show to promote their upcoming March re-issue _Then: The Earlier Years_. Billed as a return to old school, They Might Be Giants actually produced an "old versus new" concert treat for their fans.
The first opening act for TMBG was Brooklyn, New York native Brian Dewan. Although unknown to most of the audience, Dewan turned out to be a nearly perfect opening act. TMBG afficionados may recognize the Dewan name as the creator for _Lincoln_, or for his _Tells The Story_ (from Bar/None), or appearances on the Hello Recording Club disc series. But tonight, Dewan's performance on his homemade electric zither (made entirely of wood and harpsichord hardware) and autoharp, converted many fans to open their hearts to another talented performer.
Dewan played songs from his forthcoming second album (due to come out late summer 1997). Combining a storyteller's wit with a musician's heart, Dewan worked furiously on the zither while performing tracks such as "Happy-Go-Dumpy Summer", which appeared on a 1994 Hello Recording Club disc. Clever, almost novelty, lyrics come to the forefront of his songs. The tale of "Rumplestiltskin" especially captured the crowd's fancy, as Dewan guessed other names for the man and the crowd screamed "No!".
Unfortunately, Mercury recording artists Chainsaw Kittens didn't generate as much excitement as Dewan. The Chainsaws offered a solid performance of rock which would have fit in well opening for groups such as the Wonder Stuff, but with the offbeat songs of Brian Dewan and TMBG, the Kittens couldn't quite win over the crowd.
Finally, They Might Be Giants took to the stage. The first set of the concert was dubbed as the "Old School portion of our set". The two Johns, played as they had done ten years earlier - an accordion, a periodic guitar and harmonica, and backing tapes - but to a much larger audience than the backroom of Maxwell's in Hoboken or other venues.
Memories came flooding back - walking into the now-defunct Pier Platters record shop in Hoboken and hearing a new band called They Might Be Giants playing on the store's stereo system. It was only later that I discovered that Bar/None's operations were being run out of the same shop as Pier, and that the constant playing was no coincidence. But the joy at overhearing the number of fan letters pouring in - and this was December, 1986, before "Don't Let's Start" changed the future of TMBG and the label forever - helped persuade me to purchase the debut record. And I never regretted it.
Back to today - or in this case, the late 1980s - They played 19 of their "classics" including "Put Your Hand Inside The Puppet Head", "Purple Toupee" and "Ana Ng" along with more obscure tracks "I'll Sink Manhattan" and the ever-popular "The Famous Polka". The ode to Paul Westerberg, "We're The Replacements", was performed during the second set with the full band. Curiously, two of their bigger songs - "They'll Need A Crane" and the song which catapulted them to success, "Don't Let's Start" - were omitted altogether from the show. But if the audience's response was any indicator, most of the fans preferred seeing the older material which would likely never be performed live again.
The second set opened with the Johns joining the remainder of their band and primarily playing songs from their last 3 (Elektra) albums. The tip of the hat to the disco era ("S-E-X-X-Y"), the trio of big modern rock hits from _Flood_ - "Birdhouse In Your Soul", "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", and "Twisting", and the salute to the 19th century president "James K. Polk", complete with cannon and confetti, encouraged their fans to dance in a wild, happy, frenzy.
The band which has refused to stand still during their nearly fifteen years of performing turned yet another twist at the end of their set. "Spy", a B-side from "Why Does The Sun Shine?", turned out to be their closing song. The music obviously echoes the spirit of James Bond or any 1960's spy show, but an extended, nearly ten minute version of this song closed with a quick fade-in to "I Am Not Your Broom". An unusual closing to an incredible evening.
A look back and a look ahead from They Might Be Giants. If back in 1986, anyone would have predicted two guys from Brooklyn with an accordion and a backing tape would be performing ten years later to a sold out show at Irving Plaza, they would have been called crazy. Maybe things work out right after all.