[huge inflatable balls bouncing high amid showers of coloured confetti]The Royal Albert Hall is quite frankly, amazing - especially when sold out. It has a magical quality in its decor and architecture, and the staff are really good, for a change(!), which makes it feel even more like a special occasion. The warm up was provided by the Go! Team, a London/Brighton based rock band with a girl rapper/singer. They had lots of energy, and really did their level best to warm us up. Typically, though it took all of their set for the sound mix to get even semi-decent. When the Lips came on, however, it was of course excellent.
[Wayne Coyne surfs the crowd in a huge transparent inflatable ball]The Flaming Lips are probably the tightest live band I've seen, recreating the recorded sound, not only with incredible energy and charisma, but with flawless accuracy. Wayne even sang really well, contrary to what I'd heard about his live performances. As the pictures show, there were upwards of one hundred large inflatable balls and explosions of coloured paper confetti, and, to kick start things Wayne crowd surfed in a massive transparent inflatable ball. And they had the best MC I have ever heard too - a old man, with a long beard, dressed, along with a young lad who rang the bell, in traditional town-cryer gear - who made a speech about the band, none of which I can remember, except that we all screamed hysterically in adoration when he'd finished. They are one of the best bands in the world at the minute, I have no doubt about it. Their presence is warm and somehow life-giving. I feel like I can die now, with just a little more ease, knowing that I have seen them (I NEVER exaggerate).
[Wayne's face is projected onto the screen behind with a camera on the mic stand]The set went something like this: Race for the Prize, Free Radicals, Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Vein of Stars, Yeah Yeah Yeah song, In the Morning of the Magicians, W.A.N.D, the Spark that Bled, She don't use Jelly, Do you realise. There was one encore song, the title of which I didn't catch; as far as I know its not on any record of theirs either - it was very political/anti-fundamentalist/anti-war, with crazy pictures of war casualities and George Bush flashing up on the screen behind.
Thank God for the Flaming Lips. The world would be a less fantastical, fun, and thoughtful place without them.
[I am happy. I have had the gig of my life ...so far!]
5 comments:
How phantastical!
Cardiff is now illuminated with the green glow of envy, but congratulations on such an experience!
you lucky lucky man. lucky lucky lucky. grrr. was sold out by the time we thought about it!
do they let you take drinks into the RAH when they have proper gig in it, coz i've only ever been to proms there and they don't let you.
no drinks unfortunately kat, you have to drink them in the bar before hand. it was sold out when i thought of it too - bought the tickets on ebay for £55 each! Worth every penny!
Amazin man! I haven't been able to see them yet but when they come to Ireland I'll be there!
Hello Aaron.
A couple of months ago you left a message on my blog about your band Five Dollar Soul and through my lack of attention to detail all the comments were moderated and I wasn't able to see them until today. Moreover, I didn't actually ever manage get one of your shiny CDs and would be pretty keen to hear it if you give me an address to send some money to.
Thanks for getting in contact with me. [Grr. If only the Edinburgh Flaming Lips tickets hadn't sold out so quickly, sounded pretty amazing]
Dave.
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