Two days after seeing Föllakzoid, I was back out again, this time taking my son to the Usher Hall to see The Flaming Lips. On paper, the two gigs couldn’t have been much more different, but that’s one of the things I enjoy about live music. One night you’re immersed in hypnotic psychedelic soundscapes, the next you’re watching one of the most inventive and visually spectacular bands on the planet.
Before the main event, we were treated to a set from Penelope Isles. I’d never seen them before and they turned out to be an excellent choice of support act. Their dreamy blend of indie rock and shoegaze provided the perfect warm-up for what was to come, and they quickly won over an audience that had arrived primarily to see the headliners.
The Flaming Lips were touring one of the most celebrated albums of their career, performing their 1999 masterpiece The Soft Bulletin in full. Looking back, it’s remarkable to think that an album released at the end of the twentieth century still feels so fresh and imaginative today. Packed with lush arrangements, emotional depth and some of the finest songs the band have ever recorded, it remains a landmark release in alternative music.
Of course, a Flaming Lips concert is never just about the music. Wayne Coyne and company have spent years building a reputation for turning gigs into joyous celebrations, and this evening was no exception. The Usher Hall was filled with colour, energy and the sort of wonderfully eccentric spectacle that only The Flaming Lips seem able to deliver. They brought all the fanfare fans have come to expect while never losing sight of the songs at the heart of the performance.
One of the unexpected pleasures of the evening was chatting with some of the dedicated Lips fans who travel from show to show following the band around the country. Every great live act seems to attract that kind of devotion, but few inspire quite the same level of enthusiasm as The Flaming Lips. After spending a little time with them, it wasn’t hard to understand why.
The videos and photographs below capture some of the magic of the night, along with a documentary about the making of The Soft Bulletin. If you’re already a fan, you’ll know exactly why this album continues to be celebrated. If you’re not, this is as good a place as any to start.
The Photos
Here is the story of The Soft Bulletin.
I found this video and put this song to it.
Cheers!
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