Show three of four in the Twin Cities for up and comers They Might Be Giants, and their first of two shows at the Fitzgerald. They blew the doors off First Ave the previous two evenings (see first review and second review) to get Rocktober started off right. The Fitz is an awesome venue, but maybe not so much for a rockin’ rock show like TMBG rocks. The Johns seemed to know this so after the first song, they told everyone to just stand up and come on down. The audience was all too happy to oblige, which is how I got to stand against the stage the entire show. Thanks guys!

I’ve only seen TMBG twice before (March of ’96 and Oct of ’22), but I know they put on a great show, if you’re here reading this (it’s ok I know you’re not), then you already know that, too. I’ll give you the basics of this Apollo 18-themed show: they took to the stage a couple minutes after 8:00 and left the stage about 10:45 after thirty-four songs, two sets (Stompy and Godzilla), two encores (yes they earned them). My clumsy attempt to string words together cannot possibly do justice to the spectacle I witnessed last night. Suffice it to say, they could do no wrong. Well, other than the time John Flansburgh forgot to start singing and they had to start the song over. Other than THAT, they could do no wrong. Actually John F is the only one who messed up, and he is only one of eight members of the band. That’s only ~13% of the TMBG, so I think there’s a solid argument that TMBG as a whole could do no wrong. I certainly feel confident saying that the vast majority of TMBG could do no wrong. Maybe I would go with, other than John Flansburgh, TMBG puts on a perfect show? Final thought on the subject, the seven solid members of TMBG more than make up for John Flansburgh’s shaky performance? I’ll let those of you who were there decide which is the most appropriate. I think you know I’m just messin’.

The whole show from start to finish was a high-energy thrill-ride with an audience and band that were feeding off each other’s good vibes. They started off with “The Statue Got Me High” and kept the Apollo 18 train going for the first eleven songs, which was most of the first set. “Wu-Tang” and “Doctor Worm” were two highlights that closed out the set. For the second set, they wondered all over their discography playing from playing from, by my count, ten more of their albums. Flood featured heavily with six songs including “Birdhouse In Your Soul” for an encore and “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” for a second encore. I’m pretty sure they’re contractually obligated to play those songs. As you can imagine, those two songs took the crowd to a whole ‘nother level. Even though they turned on the house lights and we knew the show was done, we clapped long and loud enough for a third encore.

TMBG is a band that holds a unique and incredibly elevated place in my musical consciousness – as I know is the case with thousands of other folks in their 50s. Their talent is one aspect of it, but there’s plenty of talented bands out there. They’ve always felt to me like they were friends playing music for my sake. There is a nostalgia and an emotional short cut that takes me straight back to being sixteen, driving with my best friend to our basketball games pumping ourselves up with “Road Movie to Berlin”. You know classic psych yourself up music. I didn’t say we were very good. Thanks for taking me back to my teenage years so easily, fellas. Hope to see you again soon.