The Flaming Lips @ Brooklyn Steel

THE FLAMING LIPS - BROOKLYN, NY - 11.08.21

Monday nights aren’t typically synonymous with wild parties, but that didn’t phase The Flaming Lips when they performed their first of two back-to-back shows at New York’s Brooklyn Steel. Before taking the stage, special guest Particle Kid had the daunting task of warming up the crowd. Helmed by the son of legendary musician Willie Nelson, this young act seamlessly blended psychedelic guitar riffs, groovy bass lines and grungy vocals to create a unique experimental rock sound. They had a playful charisma to their presence, from the luxe velvet cape their bassist rocked to the hand painted cardboard signs they sold at the merch booth. The highlight of their set was Sean Ono Lennon, who is featured on their latest single ‘Velocirapture’, joined them in a surprise appearance.

Between sets is usually time used to grab a drink or hit the bathrooms, but the fans at Brooklyn Steel instead spent time filling the venue with dozens of bright yellow smiley face balloons. Once the crowd was sufficiently buzzing with anticipation The Flaming Lips frontman, Wayne Coyne, appeared on stage. He greeted the audience with a small toy bird that he flew around the venue several times. Coyne then climbed inside his signature “space bubble” and once inflated the show began.

Known for their theatrical experiential performances which often feature streamers, balloons and life-sized unicorns, The Lips have been stunning concert-goers for just shy of four decades. Due to the pandemic their show was a bit more subdued than usual and sadly there was no unicorn this time. Despite this omission, they were still able to include a giant inflatable rainbow and massive pink robot as well as their quintessential venue-related balloon which read ‘Fuck Yeah Brooklyn Steel’. 

The Grammy award winning group put on a grandiose show including fan favorite hits “Do You Realize??” and “She Don’t Use Jelly” in conjunction with songs off their latest release American Head. The thundering sound of two full drum kits being played in unison combined with Coyne’s soft vocals created a sense of euphoric hypnosis. It was a joyous evening filled with two incredible bands, enraptured spectators and of course tons of confetti. 

PARTICLE KID

THE FLAMING LIPS