This was my first Flaming Lips show but having seen the band on Austin City Limits, I knew what to expect.
Sort of.
The opening band was Deerhoof and we only caught a little more than half their set. That’s ok because I wasn’t really into their live set. They’re very avant garde, minimalist punk rock with obvious influence from Cibo Matto - Deerhoof’s lead singer is female and from Japan. Perhaps that’s why Sean Lennon was at the show.
Between the sets, I had noticed some people with laser pointers. At first I thought they had been brought into the venue, much like glow sticks at a Phish concert. But then a guy dressed up as The Flash walked past us on the floor with a giant box filled with keychain Class B 1mw laser pointers - distributing them to the crowd. We all grabbed one and started playing with them.
It was a fantastic way to pass the time between the sets. Observing some experimental social activity, if there was anyone sticking out in the crowd – they would be doused with red laser spots. For example, there was a good looking woman up on one of the balconies with her rear end planted on the railing. After a while, she was covered in red spots. If someone stuck up their beer above the crowd - it would get covered in red spots. I took the opportunity to play with red spots on the wall - sort of a cat and mouse game.
The purpose of the laser pointers, as we found out from Wayne Coyne’s pre-show announcement, was to participate in an interactive laser light show - during Vein of Stars, we would see a countdown on the video screen and then he would hold up a giant mirror which the audience would be aiming their laser pointers at.
Once the show kicked off with the usual confetti bombs, whack visuals, audience members in costume on stage (girls in alien costumes, guys in Santa Clause garb) the room filled up with giant balloons. 5 songs in before Vein of Stars, Wayne asked that we pop all of the balloons (”Don’t worry, we have more”) to give a clear line of sight for the lasers. The song commenced and after the countdown hit - Wayne and a giant circular mirror were bathed in red laser light.
It was great - however, the unexpected use of the laser lights - tracking a single bouncing balloon after the mirror experiment was what made it special. Wayne stopped and took notice of the balloon and asked for it to be sent up stage so he could hold it. It looked like a giant orb of red lights dancing on top of it. The photograph at the top of the post doesn’t quite do it justice. Wayne said he was speechless because it was so beautiful. Agreed.
It was a fantastic set and while I would have enjoyed a hit or two more from Yoshimi, I knew they needed to save some songs since they were playing two shows at the Hammerstein. They ended the show with an old, obscure song which they claimed they hadn’t played in 10 years. The band seemed determined to make this show - as they have done in the past - push the envelope for their own live music experiences as well as the fans. It was a carnival of sorts and I loved every minute of it.
Setlist
The Tada Song
Race for the Prize
Free Radicals
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt. 1
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt. 2
Vein of Stars
The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
The W.A.N.D
Cosmic Rebellion
She Don’t Use Jelly
Do You Realize??
Spoonful Weighs A Ton
You Have To Be Joking
*The red orb of laser light photo comes from Muzikspy’s Flickr stream.