They Might Be Giants: 30 Year Flood- Live 1990

With each new calendar year, in the music selling biz there is the nostalgic "looking back" to past album releases and "celebrating" anniversaries from their original release date. Often they are celebrated in 10 year segments, 10th anniversary, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th...you get the idea. Annoyingly, the trend also celebrates in 5 year intervals, 5th, 15th 25th...etc, which is kind of pushing it, but 25th anniversary of anything still has a nice ring to it. It allows the artists (and/or the record companies) to cash in with a re-mastered special edition re-release of the original album maybe bulked up with bonus demos, outtakes, alt tracks from the same recording session (or no bonuses at all) to help sell something that was sold already. If the original album wasn't available on vinyl (or was), then a release on limited 180 gram vinyl is warranted or it may even constitute the box set treatment with possibly a booklet of photos and new flashy packaging which of course means a huge cash grab. It's weird nowadays since there's been a revival on vinyl LP records, that so many records in my collection are sold now as re-releases, but at least 2 to 3x the amount I paid originally, with no extras. As a record collector you are much better off seeking the original versions (if you want it on vinyl) usually at less money than the newer versions, and if there are bonus tracks, buy the CD, stream it or download it.

This anniversary trend also extends to the live concert tour with many bands focusing on a complete album where they perform the entire album from beginning to end. I've seen shows by the Pixies (Doolittle), Sloan (Twice Removed) and Posies (Frosting On The Beater) with this format celebrating the anniversary of those albums, with the rest of show a mix of their other songs. I think for the fans this can be special, especially if you are familiar and a fan of that album and it's an opportunity to relive that record live. It can be a very cool experience.

Currently, They Might Be Giants are on tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of their major label debut and arguably their best known record, Flood. (Flood was released January 15, 1990) They will perform all of Flood, as well as other stuff (2 sets!). The Flood tour is nearly sold out (except one show), with a tour that takes them from early January to mid-May in select U.S. cities and I wouldn't be surprised if the band took the show to Europe later in the year.

I thought instead of posting a current TMBG's show from the Flood Show tour, here's a show from the tour in support of Flood when the record was released. It's a fine sounding FM radio broadcast from almost exactly 30 years ago. On the original file I downloaded years ago, the concert is dated February 28, at Wien, Arena with the same setlist below. But according to the TMBW: They Might Be A Wiki- The TMBG Knowledge Base, there is a discrepancy because on Feb. 28 the band performs in Stuttgart, Germany. On February 24th, the show is listed at the Arena in Vienna, Austria. The comment for that show is that songs listed on the setlist were broadcast on FM radio, so this date makes more sense. For continuity sake since the file is already uploaded and in respect for the original uploader, take note the file will probably be wrongly dated as 1990-02-28 so adjust the text file with the download accordingly. Confused? Anyone have any better clarification on the the venue and date? Regardless, this is a great live recording with (then) new material from Flood as well as songs from Lincoln and the first record.
Enjoy!

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!
Do NOT convert to lossy formats (except for personal use)
Please share!

They Might Be Giants
Arena
Vienna, Austria
1990-02-24
(or Stuttgart, Germany 1990-02-28?)

FM - Cassette (Master) - Audacity - xACT > cdr> FreeRip>FLAC> rar

01
02 Lie Still Little Bottle
03 Someone Keeps Moving My Chair
04 Youth Culture Killed My Dog
05 Kiss Me Son of God
06 Ana Ng
07 Your Racist Friend
08 Particle Man
09 Lucky Ball & Chain
10 Whistling In the Dark
11 Istanbul
12 She Was A Hotel Detective
13 Where Your Eyes Don't Go
14 Birdhouse In Your Soul
15 Cowtown
16 Nothing's Gonna Change My Clothes
17 -DJ-

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS- Vienna 1990-02-24 FLAC. rar