The Flaming Lips eclipsed its reputation as a band with a fantastic live performance last Sunday in Cornell University’s Barton Hall. Anyone expecting anything less from the legendary Oklahoma rock band clearly has not done his or her homework.
Openers Stardeath and White Dwarfs did a great job getting the crowd pumped up with a solid set of psychedelic songs that ventured into the same experimental territory as MGMT, and of course, The Flaming Lips.
The Flaming Lips’ ardent front man, Wayne Coyne, started off the set with his trademark, floating into the crowd in a giant bubble, coming face to face with all of his fans.
The rest of the band entered through the giant LCD screen as they kicked things off with a trippy version of “Worm Mountain” from their 2009 album, “Embryonic.” The song was accompanied with an assault of balloons, strobe lights and confetti.
Small crowd pleasers like that made every member in the crowd feel like a part of the show. It didn’t matter if you just discovered the band or have been following it since its start in 1983; everyone was together in the enjoyment of a truly amazing live experience.
Coyne held high expectations for the show, hoping to come close to the legendary Grateful Dead’s show held in Barton Hall back in 1977.
“It’s an honor to play where the Grateful Dead played, in my opinion, their most legendary show,” Coyne told the crowd. “We are in contention for the second greatest show tonight! Come on, get crazy!”
The crowd never missed a beat. How could they, with an enthusiastic Coyne constantly keeping them pumped with friendly stage banter?
The band played all of the fan favorites, including “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song,” which Coyne said was an anti-George Bush era song. Coyne made it clear that he was a fan of current President Barack Obama, earning a loud applause of approval from the crowd.
After a faithful rendition of the classic “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1,” Coyne thanked the crowd for singing along, and called it a magical thing.
Coyne and the rest of The Flaming Lips interacted with the crowd throughout the night, giving fans many thanks for their support.
Toward the end of their set, The Flaming Lips probably should have slowed down; after a solid hour of enthusiastic playing, no one could’ve blame them for becoming fatigued. Yet the band seemed to pick up steam.
They gave a stunning rendition of “Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung” that may have given fans an even bigger appreciation for the song. Many of the more “enhanced” audience members certainly showed their appreciation for the more experimental songs.
After a short break the band returned and delivered a beautiful cover of Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse,” and The Flaming Lips once again found a way to exceed expectations.
The band left the stage only to return seconds later to deliver a heartbreaking rendition of their most popular song, “Do You Realize?,” as the only fitting encore.
The performance left the crowd in awe as Coyne sang it with tears building in his eyes, making everyone aware that The Flaming Lips are merely human, no matter how eccentric they may seem.
As fans shuffled out of Barton Hall, one could not help but notice that everyone had been touched in some way by The Flaming Lips. Their show lived up to, and went beyond, their legendary reputations. It wasn’t just a show; it was a once in a lifetime experience that should never be forgotten.