I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: March 11, 2018] The Flaming Lips

After Sarah and I saw The Flaming Lips in Philly, I really didn’t think I ‘d see them again.  I never said never, but I said, unlikely.  Then they announced a short tour which included a spot at the newly opened Xcite Center at the Parx Casino.  This was a close show in a small, seated venue.  And when I heard that they had added a few new surprises, I decided it was worth going once more.

There was some confusion in the listing.  Originally, Chappo was supposed to open for them.  They had opened for them in Bethlehem and I really enjoyed their set.  I would have been happy to see them again. Then Chappo said they were not opening (they opened on the three earlier shows).  But there was no word on who would be opening.  To make things weirder, the Parx site said the show was at 7 and the Lips said the show was at 8.

Well, I arrived at like 5 to 7, fought my way through the smokers at the casino (really??) and made it to the Xcite Center at one minute to 7.  The lady at Will Call said they’d be going on in 15 minutes and there was no opener.

Holy cow.

Sure enough at 7:15, Wayne and Co came out and fidgeted with their gear. There was a fire safety announcement which Wayne joked about–we’ve been all over this place, I think it’s the safest building in the country.  If there’s a fire anywhere else you should come here.

He told us to pretend that they weren’t there, that they’d darken the lights and when he gave the signal we could pretend that they had just come out.

So they started playing Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra (live, not recorded) and when it came time, Wayne signaled us and we went nuts.

And then they did what the Lips do best.  They played the terrific opener “Race for the Prize” and set off confetti cannons and balloons.  Last time I saw them Wayne’s voice sounded a little worn, but I thought he sounded pretty good.  There was so much confetti it was awesome.  And there’s nothing like more confetti to get people happy and excited.

In previous shows the roadies would do everything behind the stage–send out large balloons, inflate things.  Well, I gather the Lips’ equipment was too much for the tiny space, because they had to inflate the giant pink robot right on stage (that was one of the new things that I was excited to see).  And so, that could only mean they were going to play “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1.”  Which is always great.

In Philly, they had draped all of those lights in front of the band so they were very much obscured. I’m glad they changed this because I want to see everyone. And I was pretty glad to be able to see some of the musicians pretty clearly.

I wasn’t sure if this would be the exact same set list as Philly.  I hoped not, but I also know that the band has a ton of gear and projections and toys and such so they won’t change things too drastically.  I was really psyched to hear “Fight Test” which they had done in Bethlehem but not Philly.

It was during this song that they brought out the personalized balloon.  When Wayne threw it out into the crowd, usually the fans pass it back before it gets ripped apart but it didn’t even make it to my row before it was shredded.

And then Steven Drozd, (who I could actually see this time!–last time he was so obscured by fog and lights that I was never sure he was even there) started singing “The Star Spangled Banner.”  It was kind of a surprise and maybe an encouragement for taking our country back (#RESIST).  But more importantly, it was a chance for Wayne to bring out the big hands.  I had never seen these before so it was awesome to see them in action.

But I was a little bummed because I thought I was recording it, but I only managed the very end–but that’s what memories are for, right?

And then they launched right into “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)” which I didn’t realize they hadn’t played last time either.  It’s such a fun song and I’m delighted that they played it again.

Then Wayne disappeared for a bit and Steven was playing some crazy melody which could mean only one thing: “There Should Be Unicorns.”  And sure enough out came Wayne on stage riding a gigantic unicorn.  In Philly, he marched the unicorn through the crowd, which was awesome, although we didn’t get to see it very well–he was up pretty high and was visible, but the unicorn itself was pretty hidden.  This time we got to see it in all of its glory.

They turned the unicorn sideways so we could see the lights up and down its sides.  It also allowed Wayne to throw yet more confetti around– at us, at the drummers, wherever.

Then they dragged out the deflated hamster ball. This is usually done behind the scenes and then Wayne rolls out.  Clearly it was too small for that, so he climbed in and they inflated it around him.  The surprise was gone, but it was really cool to see just how it worked.

This led to a really great version of “Space Oddity.”  Typically if Wayne is in the ball, he will crowd surf.  I have to assume this venue was too small, because although he came close to the stage once or twice, he did not come out into the audience (despite the encouragement of the front row).  That was a little disappointing to be sure, but understandable.

Wayne gave a pretty lengthy talk about David Bowie and what he meant to the band.  The most inspiring part was when he said that people say David Bowie was an alien, but it’s more remarkable to realize that he was a human being just like the rest of us and he did so many amazing things.  It’s an inspiration. He was a man like us, he succeeded and failed just like us.  And the band hopes to honor him every chance they get.

After a dark and moody “How??” with trippy green waving lights, they brought down the gigantic disco ball and Wayne stood next to it.  They began playing “Are You a Hypnotist??” a wonderfully soaring song.

In Philly during “The W.A.N.D.” there was so much fog and lights that you couldn’t really see what was going on.  Well, tonight there was no fog.  Just gigantic eyeballs and a gigantic mouth that came out on stage.  They used to have a lot more people in costume on stage.   Maybe they’ve gotten more lights, but I always thought those additions were really fun (heck I remember in 2000, he used hand puppets).  Wayne sang from inside the mouth.  By the end of the song, the lights were strobing, the eyeballs were dancing, Wayne was singing, it was a total sensory overload.

They played a beautiful piano version of “Waitin’ for a Superman.”  It’s funny because he said they don;t play it at every show, but they did play it in Philly last time. It was really lovely and the crowd was into it.  But I see that they have played “She Don;t Use Jelly” at a few other shows.  I haven’t seen that song in a while and that would have been a fun treat.

And then the set ended with a wonderful “A Spoonful Weighs a Ton.”  This is one of my favorite songs from Soft Bulletin.  I especially love how big the bass sounds when it kicks in live.

It was the first time I had seen them have an extended jam section during the song.  Steven and one of the other guitarists (I can’t keep track of everyone else) faced away from us and soloed for a solid two minutes before the song resumed.

And as with every version of “Spoonful,” it must end with love, love, love, love.

Normally the band would leave for an encore break but I don;t know if it was the size of the venue or just the fact that they could be done with a show by 9’oclock, but they didn’t so much leave the stage as get out of the way for the roadies to bring out the inflatable rainbow.

As it was getting set up, the band came back out and they began a soaring version of “Do You Realize.”

It’s a wonderfully uplifting ending to any show and it sounded terrific.  And then the show was over.  And it was not even 9PM.

I hate to harp on wanting get home early, but if you can do an entire show, overload my senses, sing amazing songs, shower me with confetti and have me home by 10PM, then it;s the best night ever!

I even stopped to play roulette (and lost).

So this show was definitely shorter than previous ones.  They played one fewer song than in Philly and they also played Zarathustra and The Star Spangled Banner, neither of which is very long.  “Space Oddity” was truncated without Wayne going out in the crowd.  But every Lips show is exhausting.  I swear by the fifth song, you’re wiped out from looking at everything. I don;t know how Wayne has the energy to perform it all.

This show will also reign high on my list of Lips shows because I could see everyone so clearly.  I could see the guy sitting on the floor (who is that?)  I could see Michael Ivins in his Flyers jersey on bass.  I could see both green haired-drummers.  I could see Steven Drozd when he ran back to play drums for two songs.  I could see when the guy who was sitting on the floor was replaced by the other guy (who are all these guys?).  I even went home with two pockets full of confetti.

 

There is absolutely nothing like a Flaming Lips show.  And, yes, i would see them again.

Bensalem (Parx Casino) 2018	Philadelphia (Fillmore) 2017	Bethlehem MusikFest 2015	New York (Irving Plaza) 2000
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30	Race for the Prize	The Abandoned Hospital Ship	Race for the Prize
Race for the Prize	Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1	Fight Test	The Gash
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1	There Should Be Unicorns	She Don’t Use Jelly	The Spark That Bled
Fight Test	Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung	Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung	A Spoonful Weighs a Ton
The Star-Spangled Banner	What is the Light?	The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)	Lightning Strikes the Postman
The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)	The Observer	Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus With Needles	Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
There Should Be Unicorns	How??	Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1	Sleeping on the Roof
Space Oddity	Space Oddity	Feeling Yourself Disintegrate	The Spiderbite Song
How??	Feeling Yourself Disintegrate	Vein of Stars	She Don’t Use Jelly
Are You a Hypnotist??	The Castle	Butterfly, How Long It Takes to Die	What Is the Light?
The W.A.N.D.	Are You a Hypnotist	The W.A.N.D.	Waitin’ for a Superman
Waitin’ for a Superman (piano)	The W.A.N.D.	A Spoonful Weighs a Ton	When You Smile
A Spoonful Weighs a Ton	A Spoonful Weighs a Ton	encore
encore	The Abandoned Hospital Ship	Do You Realize??
Do You Realize??	Waitin’ for a Superman
	Do You Realize?