They Might Be Giants only make it to Australia on occasion, and we're always very grateful when they make it to...

They Might Be Giants only make it to Australia on occasion, and we're always very grateful when they make it to Perth. The last time was about 4 years ago. Going strong since their beginnings in the 80's they've continued producing albums of great variety and with their catchy tunes, bold brass and mind tickling lyrics.

This year they were originally going to the Amplifier Bar, but changed the venue to the Rosemount in the wake of the Amplifiers ill conceived statements on their female staff's dress code. This was laudable and they weren't the only band to cancel gigs there.

But while the Rosemount has great staff, and yummy food, (pretty good gf cheeseburgers and awareness to go with it, yay!) and even gave us our tonic and limes for free during the show, it fails in one respect and it's a big one. It failed four years ago and it failed last night.
Airconditioning. When it's a hot muggy night and there's a sellout show and everyone is hyped, standing shoulder to should and wants to dance to those oh so danceable tunes, you really need airconditioning. Why has this not been fixed? The poor band - they're exuberant performers and they just were melting but they were troopers and they didn't stint it.

The show itself was fantastic - there was no opener - TMBG played for an hour in the first set, and then, after a 20 minute break another set of 30 to 40 minutes or so. And with songs ranging from their earliest days like "Hideaway Folk Family" through the classics like "Why does the Sun shine" "Fingertips" "Birdhouse in your Soul" and "Istanbul (not Constantinople)" through to the more modern works like "Damn Good Times" and its compelling chiasmus, and even more recent, "Mrs Bluebeard" and "The Communists Have the Music". It was an excellent tasting plate of the capabilities of the dynamic Johns and their band.

With entertaining and highly proficient solo virtuosity on the various strings and brass, not to mention Marty Beller on the drums a They Might Be Giants concert is huge fun.

It would be huger fun in a more spacious venue with airconditioning.

With 22 albums under their belt they're still going strong.

10 out 10 uplifting and the finest handcrafted gelato icecream sundae (in flavours you can't usually get even though they're your favourite) outside on a wet and cold windy day on the Sid and Nancy Scale.

They're heading across to Melbourne and Adelaide now. Enjoy, and may you have airconditioning.