They Might Be Giants with Jonathan Coulton at Belly Up: 2011
They Might Be Giants with Jonathan Coulton at Belly Up: 2011
They Might Be Giants, with opening act Jonathan Coulton, performed at Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. The pairing was perfect - two acts known for clever, quirky, intellectual music and devoted cult followings.
The Opening: Jonathan Coulton
Jonathan Coulton represents a new model of music career building. He made his name through the internet, releasing a song a week on his website, building a devoted following without traditional label support or radio play. His songs about science, technology, and geek culture found an audience who felt underserved by mainstream music.
Coulton played solo - just him, an acoustic guitar, and backing tracks. His songs are witty, melodic, and resonate with anyone who's ever felt like an outsider. "Code Monkey" about a frustrated programmer, "Still Alive" (the Portal video game end credits song), "Re: Your Brains" about zombies - these songs blend humor with genuine emotion.
What makes Coulton special is that his humor never feels mean or cynical. He's celebrating geek culture and finding humanity in mundane office jobs and sci-fi scenarios. His audience knows these songs by heart, and the singalongs were enthusiastic.
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants (TMBG) have been making quirky alternative rock since the 1980s. John Flansburgh and John Linnell - the "two Johns" - create songs that are simultaneously clever, catchy, strange, and sincere.
Their 1990 hit "Birdhouse in Your Soul" introduced them to MTV audiences, but their career has been much deeper and weirder than that one song suggests. They've made children's albums, written theme songs ("Malcolm in the Middle," "The Daily Show"), and continued releasing inventive albums for devoted fans.
The Performance
TMBG played with a full band - drums, bass, keyboards, horns - creating a rich, energetic sound. They're one of the most musically sophisticated "alternative" bands, using complex arrangements and varied instrumentation while maintaining accessibility.
They opened with high energy, running through a set that spanned their career. "Birdhouse in Your Soul" got the expected enthusiastic response, but deep cuts showed how devoted the Belly Up crowd was. These were real fans who knew the B-sides and album tracks.
"Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" - their cover of the Four Lads' 1953 song - showed their ability to take novelty material and make it their own. The song is undeniably catchy, and live it becomes an irresistible singalong.
New material from recent albums got great responses too. TMBG hasn't rested on '90s nostalgia; they've continued creating, experimenting, and finding new ways to be weird and wonderful.
The Clever Lyrics
What distinguishes TMBG is the writing. John Linnell and John Flansburgh write lyrics that are literate, funny, surreal, and emotionally honest - often simultaneously. Songs that seem silly on first listen reveal depth and vulnerability on repeated listens.
"Don't Let's Start" sounds like nonsense, but it's actually about relationship anxiety. "Ana Ng" is a love song to someone you've never met who lives on the opposite side of the world. "The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)" is a meta-song about writing a song.
This appeals to a specific audience - people who appreciate wordplay, who like their music smart, who enjoy layers of meaning. The Belly Up crowd was that audience.
The Live Experience
TMBG shows are high-energy and interactive. The Johns banter between songs, tell stories, and engage with the audience. They've been doing this for over 30 years, and their comfort and professionalism show.
The band is tight. These musicians can handle TMBG's complex arrangements, sudden tempo changes, and varied styles. One song might be straight-ahead rock, the next might be polka, the next might be a ballad. The band navigates it all seamlessly.
The Cult Following
Both TMBG and Jonathan Coulton have cult followings - devoted fans who know every word, who appreciate the intelligence and craftsmanship, who found music that spoke to them when more mainstream music didn't.
There's something special about being in a room full of people who all deeply love specific artists. The energy is different from casual audiences. Everyone's there because these songs matter to them.
The Belly Up Pairing
Belly Up was the right size for this show. TMBG can play larger venues, but the intimacy of Belly Up made it feel special. You could see the Johns' expressions, hear the between-song jokes clearly, and feel like you were part of a community rather than just another face in a crowd.
Why TMBG Matters
In an era of serious indie rock and confessional singer-songwriters, TMBG prove that music can be smart and fun, clever and catchy, weird and accessible. They've maintained artistic integrity while writing songs about particles and grammar rules and nightlights shaped like birds.
They've also shown that you can build a sustainable career without chasing hits or trends. They make the music they want, they've found their audience, and they keep creating.
The Verdict
They Might Be Giants with Jonathan Coulton at Belly Up was a celebration of intelligent, quirky, independent music. Both acts represent artists who found success on their own terms, building devoted followings by being uncompromisingly themselves.
If you love clever lyrics, if you appreciate musicianship and craft, if you want music that's fun without being dumb, both TMBG and Jonathan Coulton deliver. This show brought together two generations of geek music royalty, and the Belly Up crowd appreciated every minute.
Thank you, Johns and Jonathan, for decades of proving that weird can be wonderful.