Legendary American alternative-rock and children’s band They Might Be Giants are returning to Chattanooga at The Signal on Thursday, November 13.
The band is composed of two lifelong friends, John Flansburgh and John Linnell, who have become known as “The John’s.” They originally formed in 1982 in Brooklyn, New York, and have created an enduring legacy and impressive collection that spans nearly four decades.
The duo began playing together using a drum machine and gained recognition for their “Dial-A-Song” service, where folks could call in to a telephone line and hear the group’s new songs on an answering machine. They were both incredibly enmeshed in the New York East Village arts scene as well and began creating a DIY experimental soundscape that balanced unusual instrumentation with surreal vocals and lyrics that are often humorous.
Some of their more well known tracks include “Don’t Let’s Start,” “Birdhouse in Your Soul,” “Ana Ng,” and “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)."
In 2024 they released a live album entitled Beast of Horns, which captures the band’s live format of recent years, and includes fan favorites like “Doctor Worm,” “Museum of Idiots,” and “The Darlings of Lumberland.”
Their self-titled debut album, They Might Be Giants, was released in 1986 and was a huge hit across college radio stations, ultimately getting some airplay on MTV at the time too. To this date, the band has released 23 albums, many of which have gone gold or platinum, and they have been nominated for four Grammys, two of which they won.
The Johns were awarded one Grammy for writing the song “Boss of Me,” which became the theme song for Malcolm in the Middle. The other Grammy went to the full band for Best Children’s Album for their record, Here Come the 123s, released in 2008.
Over the years, They Might Be Giants have gone on to add several different band members, and they currently have an eight-piece band accompanying them on tour, with a variety of instruments to boot, including trombone, euphonium, tuba, saxophone, clarinet, bass, flute, guitar, and keyboard.
Their latest tour is entitled “The Big Show Tour” and promises to excite fans, as they will be performing with a different opening set each night that spotlights a different album. People can expect the unexpected while hearing a mix of fan favorites and deeper cuts from their collection.
Each set is known for its high energy and spontaneity, with incredible instrumentation that has set their sound apart in the alt-rock world for decades. If you’re in the mood for something eclectic, fun, funny, and sincere, head out to one of Chattanooga’s more intimate venues at The Signal and brace yourself for an evening of experimental sounds and songs that spans nearly forty years.
They Might Be Giants
- 8 p.m. Thursday, November 13
- The Signal, 21 Choo Choo Avenue, Chattanooga
- $47.10 - $80.57
- thesignaltn.com