There really is no other way to say it, there is nothing like a Flaming Lips concert. Part spectacle, part circus, part religious revival, part psychedelic freak-out, if you love music, especially live music, your life is not complete if you have yet to see them live. If ever a concert was a life affirming experience, theirs is. And I am not the least bit concerned with sounding corny, cheesy or what have you. No matter what kind of shit you may be going through personally, for a couple hours, a Flaming Lips show is an escape from troubles, worries and sadness. I have seen them four times now (with many more times hopefully to come), and the sea of smiling faces and happy people at every show never ceases to amaze me.
With no new studio album to promote (their last full length was 2009's "Embryonic"), I was curious what type of setlist would await us. With all that is going on around you and on-stage at a Flips show, I think they could get away with playing anything and I'd still enjoy myself, but there were plenty of old favorites I was hoping to hear and I was not disappointed.
Opening on this night was Sean Lennon's new project, The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger. I don't think a lot of people there even realized this was Sean Lennon's band, now performing as a four piece, but their brand of psychedelic rock was a perfect opener for the Flaming Lips and the crowd responded in kind. I have to be honest, I had no idea Sean Lennon was this good a guitarist, he absolutely killed it during their set. I can't even imagine how hard it has to be to play music in the shadow of such a famous father, but this is a project that suits Sean's skills perfectly. I was really impressed.
The Flaming Lips were up next and, as always, the band helped set up their own equipment and get things exactly how they wanted. Every time front man Wayne Coyne came on stage, the crowd squealed in delight and he even fired off some streamers to get them further excited. After the stage was pretty much set, Coyne came out to address the crowd and explain the intense laser light show that was about to ensue, as well as give tips for how to handle his surfing the crowd in his plastic bubble.
The stage was set-up with a huge video screen all along the back which the band eventually entered from one by one through an eyeball that was being projected onstage. Once everyone was in their place, Coyne entered inside his plastic bubble which slowly "came to life" before he headed out into the crowd to surf over the main floor.
Once Coyne returned to the stage, the Flaming Lips live experience truly began. Balloons, confetti, streamers, lasers and more shooting out everywhere, in every direction, into the crowd. It's a New Years Eve celebration every night at a Flaming Lips concert. Unlike the other times I have seen them, they did not open with "Race For The Prize" which, to me, is the ultimate way to open their shows, but it did not deter from the craziness going on. A couple of "Embryonic" tracks were played at the start of the set, "Worm Mountain" and a searing version of "Silver Trembling Hands" that featured Coyne singing on the shoulders of someone in a giant bear costume. Makes perfect sense at a Flaming Lips show, much like the giant inflated catfish off on the side of the stage (do they need a reason for this? NO!), and the folks dressed as characters from The Wizard Of Oz.
The first real sing along of the night was next as they played their biggest hit, "She Don't Use Jelly". It was the first of many songs with heavy audience participation including "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" and a stripped down acoustic version of "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots pt.1".
Another highlight of the early part of the set was a performance (I believe the live debut?) of the new track "Is David Bowie Dying?" from their extremely limited 12" vinyl collaboration with Neon Indian. This live version completely blew the studio version out of the water, calling to mind classic "Soft Bulletin" era Flips. The recorded version is good, but oh how I wish they'd put a live version out as well, it was that incredibly done.
The second half of the set featured a couple other "Embryonic" tracks, "See The Leaves" and "The Ego's Last Stand" and another show stopper, "Laser Hands" with Coyne bringing his famous 'Giant hands' onstage and shooting lasers from them, quite the sight to behold.
The main set closed with still more jaw dropping performances, first one of my favorites from 2006's "At War With The Mystics", the Steven Drozd led "Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung", and "What Is The Light?" with "The Observer" back-to-back just like on "The Soft Bulletin" to end things.
The band returned for their first encore and, much to my excitement, kicked into "Race For The Prize". This worked just as well as an encore as it does an opener, such a joyous celebration, and to me the band's signature song. After another short break they returned to close the night out with their 'other' signature song, the legend that is "Do You Realize??" with everyone singing along as one last round of confetti, smoke and streamers blew everywhere. I know there were more than a few in attendance with tears of happiness in their eyes, this song and this show has that effect on you. Don't believe me, you need to attend a Flaming Lips show and I dare you not to be moved. If you can't enjoy yourself at one of their shows, you're a miserable SOB, that is all there is to it.
It's tough to describe the high you are on after a Flaming Lips concert. It can last for weeks. And it isn't even a chemically induced high, though there was surely plenty of that on display in the audience. I've seen this band shortly after losing a close family member, I've seen this band when things are going great in my life, no matter what is going on personally, you lose yourself in those two to three hours you are at their show and realize all there is to be thankful for and happy about in life. I really don't give a shit how that sounds, it's the truth. If you don't think music can have that type of effect on people, you're not trying hard enough to allow it to. Music makes the world a better place, and the world is certainly a better place with The Flaming Lips in it.
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