An Evening with They Might Be Giants: “Flood, Book and Beyond” Tour at Belfast’s Mandela Hall

12 Nov

On 8th November at Belfast’s Mandella Hall, after a few years off touring, They Might Be Giants returned with a vengeance, delivering one of the most high-energy shows I've ever seen. The band was constantly jumping around and improvising different parts of their sets. That's right—"sets". This show consisted of TWO sets with a short intermission between them. Each set lasted around sixty minutes and was entirely new each night. You could follow them for the whole tour and never see the same set twice. With a total of twenty-three studio albums, the band has a vast repertoire to choose from, making each night different and exciting.

TMBG had no opening act to warm up the crowd, as they were playing a double set. However, this didn't seem to matter. The audience was primed and ready, even with the slightly earlier-than-usual 8 p.m. start time. The band's interaction with the crowd was excellent, peppering jokes and banter between songs. As a comedy band, this seemed to flow naturally, and the audience quickly fell into the rhythm, finding these interludes just as entertaining as the music itself. The crowd was perhaps one of the best I've seen in Belfast—they were quiet when asked during certain sections but also ready to erupt at a moment's notice.

The Mandela Hall, with its 1,000-person capacity, was the perfect size to fully appreciate the band. It was just cosy enough, yet still offered room for dancing. The crowd interaction made the show feel intimate despite the venue's impressive size. TMBG's sound was powerful, carrying it perfectly to the back of the hall where many people were dancing. The lighting and animations were stunning, with quirky colours that perfectly complemented the music.

The core of the show centred on the album Flood, which features some of their most well-known songs like "Birdhouse In Your Soul" and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)". They performed every track from this album, creatively rearranging them—one was even played sonically backwards. The band then recorded and flipped this backwards version, jokingly claiming they needed to prove themselves.

TMBG consists of five band members, but they brought out a three-man horn section, which, in my opinion, enhances almost any show (I'm a sucker for brass in live music). The eight musicians performed flawlessly and displayed great chemistry on stage. The band took a slight break for their two most well-known songs, leaving just the singers John Linnell and John Flansburgh. This created a more stripped-back and slightly new version of these crowd favourites.

At the show's conclusion, the band performed the customary three-song encore before exiting the stage. While some audience members left, those who remained were rewarded with a surprise second encore—two additional songs to close off the night. These were perhaps the most unusual yet, but the audience loved them.

They Might Be Giants proved they're still at the top of their game, demonstrating exactly how they've maintained a devoted fanbase for over four decades. Their show was an eclectic mix of sounds that transported you back to the '80s while offering something refreshingly new—an experience you can't find anywhere else. This blend created a nostalgic yet exciting atmosphere. I was at the show alone and could have happily stood there for a third set if they'd offered one. If you have the chance to see them live, I highly recommend it; you won't get an experience like this with any other band.