Back in 1990, questions were asked: “Why is the world in love again? Why are we marching hand in hand? Why are the ocean levels rising up?” And there was only one answer and it was a “brand new record for 1990. They Might Be Giants brand new album Flood”. Even for those that have never heard of They Might Be Giants, you have heard them. Istanbul is one of the most recognized songs. Younger people that grew up watching Disney Junior might remember Higglytown Heroes (I know my son does).
A celebration that was actually 33 years in the making, TMBG was actually set to embark on a celebratory tour back in 2020, but we try not to talk about the dark times. Then 2021 rolled around and Covid struck again. So now finally, the great duo of John and John (Flansurgh and Linnell respectively) are out and celebrating with fans all over the US. They stopped by Jannus Live in an unusually chilly St. Petersburg, FL this past Tuesday to an eager crowd. Playing the entire album “Flood” over two sets while also mixing in songs from their 2021 album “Book”, they were backed by an impressive collection of musicians, including a very talented horn section.
Bantering with each other and the crowd, the Johns seem to honestly still enjoy live performance and they sound better than ever. Most impressive was their backward performance of “Stilloob”, singing the entire song backward during the first set only to play a video of it in reverse at the start of the second set. After the video finished, Flansburgh asked the crowd to grade it and was met with shouts of, “A ++”. It was a great collection of ages, with lots of families gathering in the outdoor venue.
The celebration continues across the country through May 18th, ending at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, OK.