If you've never been to a Flaming Lips concert, it can be a little difficult to fathom why diehard fans – me included – lavish Wayne Coyne and his intrepid band of musicians with such praise.
Sure, the band from Oklahoma City who've been active since 1983 (when they began life as The Fearless Freaks taking drugs, playing British Bulldog and jamming on their instruments – check out Bradley Beesley's 2005 documentary for a deeper dive) have parlayed their early work into a career now four decades deep, who are known internationally with a catalogue of top-shelf indie gems.However, ask your average person in the street who The Flaming Lips are and you're most likely to receive blank stares, maybe a quizzical 'is that an STD?', such is the group's underground cult status.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
That all said, anyone who attends a Flaming Lips live show (my first experience was early 2000s Big Day Out) will leave a converted freak beaming with love and an understanding that within the world's darkness beacons of hope remain, which is exactly the landscape I entered when the band brought their 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots' album tour to Brisbane on Wednesday (5 February).
Personally, it's the album (released in 2002) that introduced me to the band and remains my favourite LP of theirs (despite stiff competition from 'The Soft Bulletin' and 'At War With The Mystics').
Awash with unbridled neo-psychedelic, experimental rock and fuzzy indietronica plus a couple of deadset legendary songs ('Yoshimi Battles Pt 1' and 'Do You Realize??' with honourable mentions to 'Fight Test' and 'Are You A Hypnotist??'), the opportunity to hear it played live in its entirety was a sumptuous prospect (especially having played my vinyl version – see-through red colour – of the album several hundred times the last 20 years).
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
Scheduled to go onstage just before 8pm, there were no support acts for this tour, which was a missed opportunity given how strong Australia's psych-rock stocks are; however, it did mean people gathered early (mainly for fear of missing that iconic refrain 'the test begins now!' from 'Fight Test').
What an assortment of humanity as well. . . from indie kids, festival punks, goths (I saw you Wolvie Trash), corporate types direct from the office, people in their 60s and 70s (remember that'll be you/ me in a few years), and those on date nights, it was a colourful and diverse display of music lovers, a snapshot that all freaks are made different.
As stage time neared, a voice declared over the PA "five minutes to showtime," followed by further warnings at the four- and three-minute marks; it was a delightful addition to the performance, breaking the fourth wall between band and the audience. It also allowed last-second toilet stops and missions to the bar.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
The tension was palpable as excited anticipation had moods inflating positively. . . the room ready to explode in colourful confetti (literally) as a strumming guitar slowly built in intensity crescendoing into an abyss of sonic frivolity.
By the time Wayne Coyne strolled onstage – chasing more applause, "don't stop, keep going, you gotta scream, yeah!" – under neon-pink lights, several inflatable pink robots were being assembled, their actions akin to a car yard sky-dancer yet there were no cheap imitations onstage. . . or was there?!
As the iconic acoustic-flavoured, drum-heavy electronica of 'Fight Test' rippled through the room, Wayne singing "thought I was smart/ thought I was right," it seemed his voice had been dismantled, an inferior product dumped on us. . . it felt like I had entered the Twilight Zone of my local RSL as the resident drunk sang a karaoke version it was that bad.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
However, when Wayne engaged the crowd a couple of songs later he admitted his ear-piece had fallen out, and because the crowd was so loud (he made numerous comments throughout the evening of the beautiful acoustics of The Fortitude Music Hall) he struggled to sing 'Fight Test' in time. I can assure you, it was the only malfunction of the evening (besides a visual graphic kerfuffle in the second set during 'Christmas At The Zoo' that required a song reboot that was more amusing than annoying).
As 'One More Robot / Sympathy 3000-21' came and went, this was a nostalgic trip bathed in laser beams and an overload of video-screen visuals that seemed to be teleported direct from the '80s MTV screens; oh, and ubiquitous confetti and streamers (some of which remained dangling from the venue's iconic chandeliers throughout the three-hour performance).
By the time 'Yoshimi Pt 1 and Pt 2' arrived, the crowd was a black belt in mystical energy flow who'd taken their vitamins (IYKYK). . . the crowd singing the chorus back at Wayne in a magical moment of shared consciousness. This was a theme throughout the first set – having sung these songs hundreds (ok, maybe thousands) of times by myself it was so comforting to be in a crowd of Lips' believers.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
Strobe lighting welcomed 'In The Morning Of The Magicians' as more blasts from the confetti cannons – like a friggin' lot – were matched by multiple giant inflatable balloons filled with more confetti bounding across the crowd. . . and even more streamers; Sydney's Oxford St would've blushed it was that colourful. Wayne was revelling in the moment, the perfect party conductor a la Dudley Moore's Arthur.
The sonic bliss of 'Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell' continued the beautiful nostalgic feels, the swaying audience entranced. 'Are You A Hypnotist??' witnessed the biggest end of song crowd reaction yet. . . Wayne imploring more cheering, even saying hello to the crowd all over again.
Before 'It's Summertime' Wayne introduced the piece as a sad song, going on a rambling monologue – it was charming – which was another theme of the evening, his band ever patient as he indulged in genuine sharing of emotions, the moment/s visibly affecting the 64 year old in a positive light (he reminded me of Paul McCartney and his own sense of wonderment at still playing music so late in life).
By the end of his 'Summertime' monologue, the take home was we pick up our mates who are struggling by propping them up with cheers of love – "c'mon man!". Despite being a sad song, 'It's Summertime' is a brilliant piece of songwriting and Brisbane responded with Wayne and band on the receiving end of a wall of love cheers at song's end.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
Before 'Do You Realize??', as an inflatable rainbow came to life onstage, Wayne shared this was a built-in moment of the show, asking the crowd to show their appreciation for those around them, to hug each other, to express their feelings. . . it was a real love flow. The song's performance was just the best too. . . a sublime crowd-band sing-along... "exhilarating, f...en amazing," Wayne said.
There was more confetti and streamers as the first set finished with 'All We Have Is Now' and 'Approaching Pavonis Mons By Balloon' – while they're probably the least known songs of the 'Yoshimi' album, they're no less important despite a string of humans filing past (not everyone doing it in a polite manner) the back of the crowd having left their vantage point near the front at the conclusion of 'Realize'.
After an extended break where the Music Hall emptied out – seriously, it felt like half the crowd had gone for a vape break outside – and never returned to the jam-packed status of the first set, The Chats' 'Smoko' soundtracked the band's return to the stage, a lovely nod from the Lips to the Brisbane pub-rock punks.
It was instant jubilation as the chaotic, choppy soundscape of 'She Don't Use Jelly' and Wayne's nasally vocals rang out, the extra floor space allowing plenty of dancing, the joy on faces contagious as even more giant, confetti-filled balloons were released into the wild before exploding in a sea of colour – it was pure pleasure overdrive.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
Wayne was then dressed as a sunflower for next song, 'Flowers Of Neptune 6', sharing another story telling the crowd that Kacey Musgraves ("no, no, she's not backstage and is not about to join us, though if you say she did I'll roll with it!") wanted to feature on 'Flowers Of Neptune 6' (she provides backing vocals on the recorded version). When they gathered together, she told them about her experience taking LSD while at home in Nashville, encountering a swarm of light bugs (fireflies to us) in her back garden.
Apparently, she managed to capture one of these light bugs, brought it back to her kitchen where they proceeded to dance to bossa nova music till the sun came up. They then wrote 'Flowers Of Neptune 6', a meandering, trippy, psychedelic art-pop DIY noise blast – classic Flaming Lips.
The third song of the second set, 'The Spark That Bled' – from 'The Soft Bulletin' album – provided the crowd another opportunity to express their love for the band, Wayne sharing that each concert they record live and the "real spectacular nights we put them out. . . so Brisbane don't hold back on the 'yeahs'!". We didn't!
One of my personal favourites followed, 'Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung' (from 'At War With The Mystics') my only disappointment being they didn't segue into 'Mr. Ambulance Driver' from the same record, but that's why Wayne's the conductor and I'm not.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
'Waitin' For A Superman' saw Wayne in an oversized Wonder Woman t-shirt, his love crusade seeing another long introduction about pushing through the sadness (a crowd member offering "we love you Wayne!" which he reciprocated with his own declaration of love, the audience picking up on the sentimental vibes). As he shared, the biggest compliment an audience can give The Flaming Lips is to keeping screaming and being happy. Brisbane no doubt recorded an A+ on this night (definitely for effort).
This tour has also seen the band dust off an old song that was written in 1996 about going to work in 2025. "Now it is 2025, we gotta play it every night!" 'Riding To Work In The Year 2025 (Your Invisible Now)' could've easily being written in 2025, it's Mercury Rev tones a beautiful addition to the set list.
Despite nearing the three-hour mark, and with a steady stream of lesser freaks making their way to the exits, the evening ended with a trio of Lips bangers: 'The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)', 'A Spoonful Weighs A Ton' and 'Race For The Prize'. Utterly glorious.
Image © Clea-marie Thorne
I'm not sure how many times I've seen The Flaming Lips live (my photographer on the evening told me I went to their 2019 concert, which I honestly can't recall), but they never cease to amaze.
From the production, songwriting, stage theatrics, imaginative props, an endless supply of love, and a catalogue of songs that unite not divide, The Flaming Lips live is a life-changing experience. As Molly used to tell us, do yourself a favour and purchase a ticket the next time you have the opportunity to spend an evening with The Flaming Lips, you won't be disappointed. Trust.
More photos from the concert.
