They Might Be Giants @ Joe’s Pub: May 16, 2007
Perennial indie favorites, They Might Be Giants punctuated their record release with two sets at Joe’s Pub, a tiny, swank venue near St. Mark’s place, and rocked their fans for nearly an hour and a half. The Johns, backed by a few Dans, peppered their new tunes with fan favorites such as “Ana NG” and “Birdhouse in your Soul” to the squeals of middle-age fans and young hipsters alike. While not the greatest show in the world (due in part to the tiny stage), the band put on one helluva a live set, blasting softer songs with massive solos (even a few dueling leads), and beckoning the crowd to sing along. The band eschewed their hokier songs for their straight forward rocking numbers, but made sure the fans had fun the whole time. The event ended with “Fingertips,” their four and a half minute opus that features nearly every style of TMBG ever put on record. I have no idea how they remember every part in this tune, but they pulled if off stunningly. Below is a photolog of the event.