FLAMING LIPS | LIVE REVIEW
Tramshed, Cardiff, Tue 24 July
Sold out on the same day tickets went on sale, Cardiff’s ‘fearless freaks’ have been long overdue the colourful psychedelic trip formally known as the Flaming Lips. Notorious for an insane live show, the Lips didn’t disappoint.
The dramatic theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey swelled the anticipation of the crowed until its synth sonics climaxed with exploding balloons and confetti cannons washing over the crowd as the band launched into Race For The Prize. A huge silver balloon sign reading “FUCK YEAH CARDIFF” into the audience was ripped apart, inflatable letters flying everywhere. As soon as the song warped to an end a massive inflatable pink robot rose, frontman Wayne Coyne jumped onto the stage barrier and Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots: Pt One blasted out. Reaching into the crowd like a psychedelic Jesus; hugging and telling a woman dressed as a unicorn, “I love you”.
Coyne is such a charismatic, masterful bandleader and when combined with the musical genius of Steven Drozd, the band’s live performances ascends to the next level. Banging out some of their biggest hits – The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power), Are You A Hypnotist??, Fight Test – the crowd exploded in sweaty hugs and drunken sways. The sweetest surprise of the evening is the rendition of She Don’t Use Jelly, which sparked a sweaty singalong before a mindmelting selection from their newest album Oczy Mlody, How??, cut sonic vibrations through the venue.
Whether jumping in the Zorb Ball and floating across the crowd to Space Oddity or riding an electric-lit unicorn, nothing seems strange or out of place with the Flaming Lips. The gig became a warm womb where the surreal becomes normality. The night ended perfectly with the beautifully sad yet uplifting Do You Realize??, and looking around at everyone walking out of the Tramshed thereafter, what I noticed were uniform bright eyes and ear-to-ear grins. The Flaming Lips are a band that must be experienced live.
words and photos JAYDON MARTIN