The Flaming Lips

We’re “gong” to have a ball. Ok, ok I know it’s an excruciatingly bad pun but I’m sure the ‘Lips won’t mind in the slightest, especially as there is a very large circular bit of bronze hanging behind singer Wayne Coyne. What’s more tonight is a night to leave conventionality at the door. Whilst most bands believe that their music is enough to fill a venue and consequently don’t do much apart from playing their instruments and pose a bit, the Flaming Lips believe that 3 blokes on stage and some instruments is pretty boring to watch. Which is why the gig begins with Wayne Coyne and Stephen Drodz waltzing around the stage in front of the aforementioned gong, which itself is in front of a big projection screen which seems to be in place of a drum kit. The screen has a certain mesmerising quality to it as images of internal organs, pulsating abstract images, promo videos and humungous close ups of Wayne’s face and his co-stars….a frog and a nun among others hypnotise the crowd. Sorry I didn’t mention the singing puppet collection did I? Not only do we have singing puppets but also copious amounts of confetti and balloons to play with. This isn’t so much a concert as a strange variety performance with a soundtrack!! As the audience’s senses are completely bombarded – the only thing they’ve left out is smell – we emerge from the auditorium looking like we’ve all been tripping, confetti in our hair, eyes the size of saucepan lids, singing tunelessly various songs from the set. The South Bank’s alive to the sound of squewiffness.