I is for in-store

[vovat]

So, bethje and I went to the Borders in Bryn Mawr for an in-store performance by They Might Be Giants. Along the way, we stopped at the Amish market for some tasty cheese-filled pretzels. We got to the store around an hour early, and the place was already fairly crowded. There were quite a few parents and kids, which technically makes sense for a show promoting a children's album, but, like I overheard some guy near me say, when TMBG does these children's projects, you kind of don't expect actual kids to get into them. I guess a fair number of parents are fans, and, as is typical when parents share their music with their children, the kids either grow up to be fans themselves, or to totally despise the band. Anyway, most of the audience was in the space designated for the concert, but some people were also watching from the stairs, and from behind glass upstairs. John Flansburgh referred to the latter as the "quarantine section."


I'm not sure this setlist is entirely accurate, but I think it went something like:

Bed Bed Bed
Alphabet Of Nations--This makes a good live song, and I'm hoping they'll keep it in their show after they're done with promoting Here Come the ABCs. They included the bridge from the Conan performance, as well as a part where the Johns switched off on countries/letters.
Flying V--John Linnell played the keyboard part on the accordion. Actually, he played pretty much everything on the accordion, but it was particularly noticeable here, since I hadn't heard it on accordion before.
Clap Your Hands--Has anyone been to a recent TMBG show where they DIDN'T play this?
Istanbul
Particle Man
Doctor Worm
Fake-Believe--Flans introduced this one by saying they wrote it while visiting Marty Beller's ice cream castle in the Catskills. (Hmm, that castle might make a nice bit of fan art. {g}) It was sort of a combination of the two versions of the song from the album, in that it included both the alpaca verse and the ant one.
Robot Parade


After the show, we waited in line to get some stuff signed, which we did. They kind of hurried us through, though, and I don't think Linnell spoke to us at all. So now I hate TMBG. No, seriously, I understand that they had a lot of people to see and autographs to sign, but it was a little disappointing, since this was my first face-to-face encounter with the Johns. Oh, well.

Before leaving the store, we talked to onib for a little while. Then we went to get some food at McDonald's, and returned to our respective homes. Once I got here, I found two of the mix CDs from the Frank Black Forum swap waiting for me, so I'm in the process of listening to those now.

Comments

[beller4prez.livejournal.com]

My ice cream castle is actually quite delicious. I'd invite you over sometime, but it's getting warmer.

[obsessical.livejournal.com]

i was there, but the only person I saw was k1cup. Perhaps that's because I don't know what the rest of you look like, heh heh.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

So is the outside made of hollowed-out ice cream, or is ice cream heavily used in the decorating, or what?

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Hey, you saw the picture of me in that elephant costume, right? That's what I usually look like. :P

Hate 'em. Got eyes like li'ull pigs.

[bec-87rb.livejournal.com]

After the show, we waited in line to get some stuff signed, which we did. They kind of hurried us through, though, and I don't think Linnell spoke to us at all. So now I hate TMBG.

YEAH! Me, too. You didn't even get a "Thank you" from Linnell? Harrumph. His momma taught him better, so we oughta teeeeeell. Then she'll swat him on the head so he'll remember to more polite next time. :P

Re: Hate 'em. Got eyes like li'ull pigs.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

But since he gave me his autograph, does that I should be thanking HIM?

He had pre-signed it, though, so maybe not.

[k1cup.livejournal.com]

Re: setlist, "Istanbul" was before "Flying V".

Clap Your Hands--Has anyone been to a recent TMBG show where they DIDN'T play this?

Well, Flans did introduce it as the They Might Be Giants nationl anthem. :P

[leolapyre.livejournal.com]

I was there, too, but I don't really know what anyone looks like, so I just sorta just stood by myself.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

That's probably what I would have done if I hadn't been there with my girlfriend.

Re: Hate 'em. Got eyes like li'ull pigs.

[(Anonymous)]

I found Linnell to be very cordial and friendly with us. My youngest daughter, who's a huge TMBG fan, was dying to see them. When we went through the line, though, she was a bit scared. I assured my daughter that JL wasn't going to bite. I asked him, "You don't bite, do you?" and he assured us both that he doesn't. He placed a presigned insert into her DVD case and asked her name, which he wrote on it. Flans, surprisingly enough, I found to be a bit stern and businesslike. But who can blame them?

Re: Hate 'em. Got eyes like li'ull pigs.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Beth actually suggested that Linnell might be more comfortable around kids than adults.

[onib.livejournal.com]

Oh, I thought I'd mention that it looks like "I Never Go To Work" really is an actual song after all. I really believed that it was just made up to taunt those of us with the Amazon version of ABCs, but I took up makebase on his post on the newsgroup and got a copy. If you haven't gotten it yet, I'd be happy to pass it along.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't heard it, and I'd like to. You can send it to my Gmail address. Thanks!

[onib.livejournal.com]

Ok, it's on its way. Like I said, I thought people just made it up, but I took a chance getting scammed and sent off for one from makebase. Fortunately, it worked out, and I don't seem to be on any porn mailing lists yet.

It definately fits into the child-focused arena, but I really like it. Its repitition gets stuck in my head. Not on my list of all-time favorites or anything, but definately a good track...

Oh, while I'm thinking of it, did you ever get a copy of "T-Shirt?" I can't remember now. My memory is failing quickly in my young age.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Ok, it's on its way.

I got it. It's pretty cool. It doesn't have anything to do with the alphabet, but I guess none of the Amazon bonus tracks do, either.

Oh, while I'm thinking of it, did you ever get a copy of "T-Shirt?"

I bought it from iTunes a little while ago, but I don't think I ever told you that, so don't blame your own memory. {g}