“This shit is crazy!” a Riviera Theatre security guard yelled to me, wide-eyed, as I was leaving the photo pit. I laughed and nodded.
“This is my third time seeing them and…this shit is CRAZY!” he emphasized. Yes, it is. Large balloons bounced around the sold-out venue while cannons blasted so much confetti that I’m still finding pieces of it in my camera bag. There was glitter, rainbows, inflatables (“Fuck Yeah Chicago”), streamers, and Wayne Coyne riding a unicorn through the crowd. And this was only three songs in. God, I love it when The Flaming Lips are in town.
Aside from the antics, the setlist was a pretty epic one. They covered David Bowie (“Space Oddity”) and played a chunk of songs from their suberb 1999 release, Soft Bulletin. The Lips are touring extensively right now in support of their latest album, Oczy Mlody, so seriously, don’t be a moron. Go see them. They’re unlike any other live band.
SETLIST
Race for the Prize
Play Video
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1
Play Video
There Should Be Unicorns
Play Video
Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung
The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)
What Is the Light?
The Observer
How??
Space Oddity (David Bowie cover)
Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
The Castle
Are You a Hypnotist??
The W.A.N.D.
A Spoonful Weighs a Ton
ENCORE
Virgo Self-Esteem Broadcast
Silver Trembling Hands
She Don’t Use Jelly
ENCORE 2
Waitin’ for a Superman (Wayne Coyne and Stephen Drozd on piano solo)
Do You Realize??
