Shows/1999-09-24

3 wikians attended: Captaincaustic Garit The Vanishing Dot

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Setlist:

• Drinkin'
• Spider
• James K. Polk
• She Thinks She's Edith Head
• Mr. Klaw
• Older
• Twisting
• Cyclops Rock
• Spiraling Shape
• Man, It's So Loud In Here
• She's Actual Size
• Letterbox
• Narrow Your Eyes
• Ana Ng
• The Guitar
• G-L-O-ckenspiel Intro
• Born In A Graveyard
• Shoehorn With Teeth
• Pet Name
• Whistling In The Dark
• Mammal
• Particle Man
• The Famous Polka
• New York City
• Why Does The Sun Shine?
• She's An Angel
• Doctor Worm
  • Elusive Butterfly

Encore 1:

• Spy
• Counterfeit Faker
• Birdhouse In Your Soul

Encore 2:

• Maybe I Know
• Miller Time
• Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

They Might Be Giants
4th & B in San Diego, CA
September 24, 1999

Fan Recaps and Comments:

The Vanishing Dot:

I wrote a very long, ridiculously detailed review of this show back when it happened, but I'll just share some highlights:

• Flans was using his guitar synth effect for "Older" in this period.
• This venue was set up like a sports bar, with video monitors on either side of the stage, complete with cheesy effects. At one point, Flans said, "We're on Rolling Stones Diamond Vision. How’s it going, Austin?"
• Flans on their t-shirt guy: "He's the best t-shirt guy we’ve ever had. He's like one of these people people. Not like us...bitter and weird."
• Prior to "She's Actual Size," Flans grabbed a wireless mic and shouted “f---!" He added, "there's something about having a wireless mic that just makes me want to say f---!” Also, during the extended jam section, Flans called drummer Dan Hickey "the Yngwie Malmsteen of cowbell players."
• My friend and I did the "Ana Ng" dance during "Ana Ng," to the amusement of people behind us.
• The band went into a bit of "Dan Vs. Cog" before "Shoehorn With Teeth."
• "Pet Name" was performed with the stage almost completely dark.
• LINNELL: If you announce the song, people clap and you can't hear the count in. It happens every time. You'd think we would have learned by now.

FLANS: That's why we have to go 'ONE, TWO, MAMMAL, FOUR...'

• In this period, Flans was doing the spoken word parts in the middle of "Why Does the Sun Shine?":

"The sun is so hot that everything on it is a gas. Copper wire...aluminum wire...copper cords...EVERYTHING!"

"Scientists have found that the sun is a huge atom smashing machine. The heat and light of the sun are caused by the nuclear reactions of estrogen!...estrogen!...estrogen!...AND MORE ESTROGEN!"

• FLANS: We have 60,000 people on our mailing list. And we've come to find out that having 60,000 people on a mailing list is totally useless. We're tired of sending mail to your parents.
• Linnell sang a random song in the a cappella verse of "Dr. Worm." I believe it was a snippet of "Bright Elusive Butterfly of Love."
• "Spy" was in rare form, with Flans shouting his famous "sorry I f---ed up the show" remark, as well as "as they say in the South, 'f--- y’all!" and Linnell playing a few bars of Foreigner's "Cold As Ice" at one point.
• At the end of the show, the band waved slowly and hypnotically to the audience, like audio-animatronics.