The Flaming Lips @ Entertainment Centre Theatre, Adelaide 30/1/2025
There are shows and there are shows and there is nothing quite like US psychedelic rockers The Flaming Lips. A return visit to Adelaide was long overdue and with a reputation for their euphoric live show we were definitely in for something special and quite remarkable. This show and others on their current Australian tour will be a talking point for quite some time to come as there is nothing quite like them with their clever theatrics and stage production. Described as “feelgood psychedelia” I definitely left a lot happier than when I went in.
The whole show was about The Flaming Lips, with no support, starting at eight o’clock (a little later than the scheduled seven forty five start time) celebrating one of the twentieth anniversary of one the most influential alt-rock albums Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (which was actually in 2022 with the celebrations being ongoing). Whilst there was no real surprise as far as the set list goes for the first set being this album played in its entirety start to end there was an air of unpredictability with what was happening on stage. There was an overwhelming sense of positivity in this show led by front man/ ring leader Wayne Coyne who like a jack-in-a-box unleashed was full of beans encouraging the crowd to continually clap and scream in appreciation of what they were experiencing.
Revving the crowd up as they took the stage the pink robots were inflated towering over the band and armed with a trumpet Coyne led the way in to first song Fight Test. The laser and light show was top shelf and the projections that uniquely accompanied each song was phenomenal. As far as productions go this was elite in terms of how this was pieced together. One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 followed and was brilliantly done. The first of the confetti/ streamer showers and streamer filled large inflatable balls was a clever way to engage the crowd. Coyne did say that it was twenty one years to the day when they played the Big Day Out (just the thought alone makes me feel old). He also added that it was “amazing to be here” and “if you are here for the first time you are probably wondering what the fuck is going on”. The crowd cheered when he said that they’ll play all the way to the curfew and “we are with you for the night”.
The set continued in a logical sequence with Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell being a highlight then Are You A Hypnotist? There was greater meaning behind It’s Summertime with Coyne talking about the enjoyment of being alive and that summer is full of life with the sun being a reminder that it’s another day and that it’s going to be ok. The inflatable rainbow came out for Do You Realize? encouraging people to turn to someone next to them and say “I love you”. More confetti, it was wild! The first set and album completion came by way of All We Have Is Now and Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon (Utopia Planitia).
After a short intermission there was more fun to be had with set two focusing more on cult classics and some more obscure songs from their discography. She Don’t Use Jelly was uber popular as was Flowers of Neptune 6. The back story was equally compelling being about country star Kacey Musgraves who sung backing vocals and on one night had nothing to and the song was an account for what happened that night. The Spark That Bled and Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung were great moments with a touch of irony with Riding to Work in the Year 2025 (Your Invisible Now) with Coyne saying they are obligated to play every night this year. Another fun fact, Coyne pointed out that Australia was the last place they played before the pandemic commenting that he lost his place with certain songs as “you motherfuckers” are loud as he does not wear in ear monitors.
Coyne was sporting a Wonder Woman outfit on the heavy feels of Waitin’ for a Superman with the crowd encouraged to scream if it was getting to heavy. The inflatable lips and dancing eyeballs made an appearance on The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power) which was made for crowd participation. Rarely played Christmas at the Zoo combines two awesome things according to Coyne. Full of appreciation for what Coyne described as “the greatest fans in the world” A Spoonful Weighs a Ton was for them adding that smiles are contagious particularly for people experiencing profound sadness. Coyne sung within an inflatable ball and a lot of us thought he might roll himself out over the crowd, whilst it didn’t happen I reckon he was thinking about it. The fun and chaos came to end with Race For The Prize with more confetti showering over the crowd.
That was definitely an awesome experience and there won’t be a show quite like that again…
Live Review By Rob Lyon