They Might Be Giants was formed by John Linnell and John Flansburgh in 1981 in Lincoln, Massachusetts. The duo are also songwriters who first met in Brooklyn, began writing songs, and decided to start a band.
Linnell was on accordion or saxophone with Flansburgh on piano, and they both sang and had a boombox or drum machine backing them up. Their high-energy shows earned them a loyal following, and they released their first single in 1985.
People Magazine reviewed them favorably, which brought them to the attention of Bar/None Records, who subsequently signed them. They dropped their first album, “They Might Be Giants,” in 1986, which was popular throughout local colleges. One track from this album, “Don’t Let’s Start,” got a massive airplay on MTV, leading to the success of “Lincoln,” their second album.
A single from the album, “Ana Ng” climbed to No. 11 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart. They Might Be Giants have released many singles, EPs, videos, and live and compilation albums since the band’s inception. Their latest album, “Book,” dropped in 2021 on the Idlewild label.
A review says:
“As much a spectacular performance of comic genius as a musical delight, TMBG never fail to deliver a captivating and memorable show.”
They Might Be Giants will be in San Diego on April 12 and 13 at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Venues can often successfully use poster printing to advertise hotly anticipated events like this.