MUSIC: THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS : Rock ‘N’ Weird : Fans get a chance to laugh and/or dance when the band plays the Santa Barbara County Bowl.

Imagine an All-Goofball rock concert where the fans are wearing clown suits and a laugh track is unnecessary. The musical lineup would have to include The Bonzo Dog Band, Mojo Nixon, Ben Vaughn, The Phermones, The Reverend Billy Wirtz, The B-52s and They Might Be Giants.

Area rock fans will get the chance to laugh and/or dance when the latter two bands play the Santa Barbara County Bowl Tuesday evening as a musical alternative to “Roseanne.”

They Might Be Giants (why couldn’t they be Dodgers?) are sort of the Maynard G. Krebs of rock ‘n’ roll. A couple of smart guys named John, They Might Be Giants write songs that are eclectic, idiosyncratic, but mostly weird. The hit off the band’s latest album is called “Birdhouse In Your Soul.”

From “Whistling In The Dark,” a sample line:

“. . . There’s only one thing that I know how to do well

And I’ve often been told that you only can do what you know how to do well

And that’s be you. Be what you like. Be like yourself.

And so I’m having a wonderful time but I’d rather be whistling in the dark ...”

Because there are only two guys in the band, it’s tough to hide anyone. And both members play lots of instruments. In fact, on the bio sheet it says, “John Flansburgh--guitar, vocals, a variety of other instruments” and John Linnell--accordion, vocals, an even greater variety of other instruments.”

The two Johns met in high school in Massachusetts, said Linnell in a recent telephone interview. “It was this liberal, groovy high school back before there were too many rules. We published a comic book, stuff like that. We both grew up in the ‘60s listening to The Beatles, but in the ‘70s, Top 40 music was so horrible.

“Then in the late ‘70s, the alternative music scene happened with punk rock and its descendants. This told us, ‘Hey, we didn’t have to be that good, just brave enough to get up there and do it.’ ”

They Might Be Giants began building a following in the mid-’70s in the New York City music scene and eventually were signed by a tiny New Jersey label, Bar/None, for whom they released two albums.

“They were totally obscure--I think they only had one other record out. The first album did fine and the second one, ‘Lincoln,’ did extraordinarily well, which caused Elektra to give us a chance.”

The band has been touring incessantly since the end of last year in support of “Flood,” the new record. In fact, the band played The Ventura Theatre in March.

“We’re only doing a few dates with The B-52s. Usually, we headline like when we played Ventura earlier this year. We get nervous about opening, although this show should be great. Once we opened for Fishbone--we love them--but their fans didn’t really love us. Another time we played with Til’ Tuesday--same thing.”

Masters at creating the three-minute pop-rock song, TMBG doesn’t really sound like anyone else, which is tough these days. “We just like making records, and of course driving around America in a van. We just want to satisfy ourselves and make the kinds of records that we would buy. We use the same criteria for our live shows.”

* WHERE AND WHEN: They Might Be Giants open for The B-52s at the Santa Barbara County Bowl on Tuesday. The Bowl is located at 1122 N. Milpas St., Santa Barbara, 966-2727. Tickets are $17.50, $19.50, $21.50 and $27. They are available at Ticketmaster locations, the Bowl box office, or by phone, 583-8700. Showtime is 7 p.m.