After pounding through the opening, fuzzy-guitar-driven “First Kiss,” They Might Be Giants cofounder John Flansburgh warned Monday night’s roused Hoyt Sherman Theater crowd, “We’ve never played anywhere this nice. We don’t know what to do.”

But the Giants knew exactly what to do, and they did it.

Flansburgh and partner in rhyme John Linnell, along with full-band accompaniment, filled the beautiful venue with over 90 minutes of energetic rock, purified with crystal-clear lyrics and flawless musicianship.

They Might Be Giants jammed through tongue-and-cheek tunes about mammals, birdhouses and a triangle man who could take on the world, with the same conviction and courage Dylan had when he sang about the anti-war movement.

“Doctor Worm” followed the opening song and showcased Linnell’s vocal approach, a unique blend of Bill Cosby on “Picture Page” and Weird Al.

Storytelling is a skill, and both Flansburgh and Linnell have mastered it. Even new material, about which Flansburgh joked, “I’m sure you’re all pumped to hear stuff you’ve never heard before,” was entertaining.

But the Giants are more than a listening band — they are a spectacle.

Linnell pounds his keyboard like Ben Folds on crack, while Flansburgh flirts with the crowd in a Neil Diamond-during-a-spelling-bee sort of way.

Midway through Monday’s extravaganza, the band ripped out back-to-back versions of “Particle Man,” complete with accordion solos, and “Ana Ng” — giving the gift of alt-rock classics packaged in a 10-minute stage fart.

Silly versions of “She’s an Angel,” “Why Does the Shine?,” “Birdhouse In Your Soul” and “S-E-X-X-Y” highlighted the later part of the band’s Des Moines debut and was followed by two encores of the band’s most outrageous material.

Flansburgh, in between repeatedly introducing his bandmates (a nod to hair band stage etiquette), filled the stage with his huge guitar moves as the band entered into the final tune and crowd favorite, “Istanbul (Not Constantinople).”

Hoyt Sherman Theater was a perfect room for the Giants, and they took advantage of it in memorable ways.

Years from now, when alternative rock is long gone, people will tell stories from this show — “I remember when …”

Editor’s note: In honor of the success of the recent reopening of The Hoyt Sherman Theater, the staff has decided to make the Jimmy Smith Hammond B-3 Quartet show Saturday free to the public. Known as the Godfather of Acid Jazz, Smith has performed with Medeski, Martin and Wood, along with several other jazz musicians. The show begins at 8 p.m. Lyle Lovett performs at the theater Friday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $27.50, $32.50 and $35.00 through Ticketmaster.