Review | They Might Be Giants at Venue

Last night, as I walked down Granville Street, I felt the scattered energy of passers-by. People eagerly pushing towards various destinations, frantically passing one another in a bid to win some imaginary race. The momentum of that little strip always infects me, and last night was no different. It got my heart rate going and raised my excitement level. It was time to push through those glass doors of Venue and absorb some ambiance. On to the music.

I entered the club, with a bit of a jump in my step. Looking around, it was quite obvious that this was no ordinary audience. It was not a hipster gathering full of thick rim glasses, nor was it a grouping of starry-eyed pop lovers. This was a room full of oddity music lover. It seemed like the same type of audience that would be at a Ween show. It was actually refreshing, some thing a little uncommon.

I worked my way to the front of the establishment. Planting myself right beside the stage. We all watched as The scurrying little roadies set up for the main act. As we all waited, more and more people kept streaming through the doors. Eventually we were packed in like a can of sardines. Smiles gleaming across the faces in the room. The anticipation of hearing They Might Be Giants play the entire Flood album, has us all overly excited.

The room lights dropped, and a series of spotlights swirled around the stage. The members of They Might Be Giants filled up the platform. You could feel the intense reception from the crowd, even before a note had rang through the speakers.

John Linnell and John Flansburgh, were grinning from ear to ear. It was exciting to see a group be so pumped to play to their fans. Other bands should be so enthusiastic.

The band jumped into their set, with a playful demeanor. Linnell, worked over his keyboard with one hand as he pumped to the rhythm with the other. His words flowed across the audience with a gentle sway. Flansburgh was alive with passion, as he jerked and contorted throughout the performance. It was an exciting site to bare witness.

The stage setup was quite minimalist, just some side light and couple of over head cones to add a little mood, but not to overtake. The back drop was a large projection screen, featuring a video feed to go with every song. The group really took advantage of these surroundings and worked the place with a collective cool, that had the entire building staring in awe.

It was great to see a band play with such a love of their fans. They often took breaks between songs to joke around and schmooze the room. Overall it was a really great experience. The group was so heartfelt and passionate. I think They Might Be Giants, is one of those rare bands that actually plays because they love it. Which is a beautiful thing to watch. Kudos to John Linnell, John Flansburgh, Dan Miller, Marty Beller, and Danny Weinkauf, you delivered our fair City one hell of a performance. For this we thank you.

PS. My favorite song of the night was Lucky Ball & Chain.

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Tagged as: they might be giants, venue

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Jamie Taylor – who has contributed 3313 posts for Concert Addicts.

"With a love for live music, way too much to say and inability to put down his camera , photojournalism was a logical step in his journey. Concert Addicts was born from a desire to express his opinion, share his photography, and share knowledge. Now the community is no longer his, it is ours."

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