Live music review: The Flaming Lips played Luck Reunion 10th Anniversary series Saturday
If there is such thing as a beloved SXSW satellite event, it’s Luck Reunion which takes place on Willie Nelson‘s Luck Ranch each March. Since the event began a decade ago, a lot has changed, including the owners tolerance for concerts on the property. The Luck Reunion 10th Anniversary Series continued last night with The Flaming Lips and Nelson’s son, Micah with his band, Particle Kid. The headlining performance was weird, trippy, thought-provoking and perhaps a bit of a psychedelic bummer (we’ll explain later).
Saturday’s concert out in Spicewood which is about 40 minutes Northwest of Austin, was strange in every way you could consider… the setting was the Western town constructed as the set of “The Red-Headed Stranger,” the Nelson docufilm made in the mid-80s. Apparently the Nelsons never tore it down and instead made it a working horse ranch. So fans strolled down “Main Street” past the tiny chapel, beer gardens, town jail and various shops to the end of the lane where they found a festival-sized stage set off to the left of the path next to what is fondly called Willie HQ but is, in fact a two-story version of a General Store and Supply shop.
Enter Wayne Coyne and The Flaming Lips with their elaborate sets, lights, props and enough weird music to soundtrack a year of life at Willy Wonka’s fantastic chocolate factory. Coyne is similar to that odd Dahl character in that both Wonka and Coyne act as spiritual guides, if you will. Wonka on how to make delicious candy with integrity that delights the children of the world and Coyne’s work is a lesson in psychedelic shamanism, visual art and musical creation of the highest order with a healthy dose of humor and hubris.
The ‘Lips wasted no time in playing a familiar tune, rolling out fan favorite, “Do You Realize” early in the performance. Wayne was in and out of his plastic bubble all night but never waded into the audience while in the bubble as he’s done in the past.
A giant LED screen and smaller one offset to the left behind the band and vaguely snowman-shaped, animated, light-programmed set pieces framed the stage. Coyne’s mane of shaggy gray hair, beard and suit lent him the aura of a musical version of an insane Mark Twain or perhaps Michael Keaton’s Betelgeuse character from the Tim Burton film. While either comparison is somewhat apt, perhaps Coyne’s method of operation is more similar to the famous American author and philosopher?
The singer spoke a lot about death and life, happiness and sadness and the inevitable end that comes. Not exactly cheery stuff but somehow he presents those thoughts in a positive way. Like our friend mentioned, “Wayne’s on a bit of a self-actualized, psychedelic bummer.” She’s not wrong. At the same time, a sense of exuberance and love permeates each Flaming Lips show, as if Coyne is trying to compensate for life’s harsh realities for a moment.
That ebb and flow of hard truths followed by lessons on how to make that fun, was the central theme of a stellar musical performance by bandmates, Steven Drozd, Derek Brown, Matt Kirksey and Nicholas Ley. Confetti cannons, giant inflatable robots, mind-bending visuals and over 20 songs from The Flaming Lips’ now vast catalog ensued.
The Flaming Lips continue touring through the end of November, culminating in Los Angeles at The Wiltern Theater.
All photos by Michael Maly
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