The sensory-overload-filled Monday night concert at The Pageant proved that three-time Grammy Award-winning rock band The Flaming Lips have not slowed down one bit. Their brand of eclectic psychedelic rock is not for everyone, but for those who get it, it’s everything. The capacity crowd–which included fans in sequined jackets, dinosaur costumes, and more–spanned the generations, showing that The Lips have continued to create and stay relevant in a world full of more music than ever before.
Ohio-based six-piece Heartless Bastards opened the night with 40-minutes of their ’70s-inspired bluesy rock with a touch of their own swirling space rock tossed in. Songs included the title track to their 2021 album, A Beautiful Life, and the more rocking “Photograph.”
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Afterward, The Lips frontman Wayne Coyne began the two-hour, action-packed American Head show by sharing a story about a mechanical bird he had years ago that, try as he might, he couldn’t find a replacement for, despite a laborious search. He found a similar one, but wasn’t sure it was going to fly as he tossed it out above the rapt crowd. Breathlessly, we all watched as it briefly flew out and returned safely to Coyne like a boomerang. By this point, the remainder of the band appeared on stage, Coyne stepped into his now well-known clear plastic bubble, and they launched into “My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion.” Lyrics flashed behind on a giant screen with trippy lights, and the mood was set to overdrive for the remainder of the night.
Blow up rainbows and giant pink robots graced the stage. Confetti shot out of both giant cannons and handheld devices wielded by Coyne. Lights danced and strobed. Yet, in the midst of all this controlled chaos, Coyne spent time conveying messages of compassion, “Take care of each other. Help each other. Anyone you feel is more vulnerable. Help them,” he implored before going into “Moth in the Incubator.”
Early on, Coyne also stated how much the band loved playing St. Louis, especially at The Pageant, which he said is it one of his favorite venues to play. That exuberance ran through the end of the night, when the band ended with the dreamy “Race for the Prize,” along with more confetti and enormous silver balloons that spelled out, what else? “F*ck Yeah St. Louis.”
For more photos from the night, visit https://bit.ly/FLips22cz
