THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS "FLOOD" ASBURY LANES WITH TWO NIGHTS OF GREAT MUSIC

Words & Photos by Michael Campanile

September 4, 2022

New York’s own They Might Be Giants resumed their 2022 tour with a two night stay at Asbury Lanes. After a two year delay due to the pandemic, TMBG faced another delay when John Flansburgh was injured in a car accident after their first show in New York City. Their eagerly anticipated return had diehard fans lining up around the block on night one.

The band rewarded them with a marathon of their quirky, upbeat music and the nearly-sold out crowd loved every minute of it. The lengthy setlist included new songs, old favorites, "Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love" played backwards, and of course, the band’s mega hit album Flood in its entirety.

Having played their songs on my radio show in college, it was awesome to finally see TMBG in person. And they did not disappoint. The highlights for me were hearing personal favorites like "Birdhouse in Your Soul" and "Particle Man" live for the first time. It was another great night of music here in Asbury Park.

Night 1 Setlist

Set 1: Letterbox / We Want a Rock / Moonbeam Rays / Your Racist Friend / Birdhouse in Your Soul / Whistling in the Dark / Women and Men / Someone Keeps Moving My Chair / Synopsis for Latecomers / Authenticity Trip / Call You Mom / New York City (cub cover) / Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love (Played Backwards) / Spy / Particle Man / Doctor Worm

Set 2: The Mesopotamians / Minimum Wage / Let Me Tell You About My Operation / The Darlings of Lumberland / Museum of Idiots / 2082 / Man, It's So Loud in Here / Twisting / Damn Good Times / Hot Cha / Underwater Woman / Lucky Ball and Chain / When Will You Die / Road Movie to Berlin / Istanbul (Not Constantinople) (The Four Lads cover) Encores: Dead / Theme From Flood / The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) / Hey, Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had a Deal

Michael is an Asbury Park based photographer of what life puts in front of him. He snuck his camera into a concert for the first time in 2011 when he went to see Soundgarden on their reunion tour. Two of those shots ended up being published in Photofantasm Soundgarden: Nudedragons to King Animal, and he has been bringing his cameras to shows ever since. He relocated to Asbury in 2019 for its rich music and art scenes...and to save on tolls! He is a big supporter of the local music scene and has become well known amongst the bands for his photos. Michael is also a regular vendor at the Asbury Park Punk Rock Flea Market and can be found selling his prints at a variety of local markets.