There is a reason why the Flaming Lips have become one of the most improbably famous rock bands in the world: they are ridiculous. Seeing band ring in the new year at the Cox Center, their home city’s oldest venue for arena rock — in the same room where a teenage version of frontman Wayne Coyne once saw both the Who and Led Zeppelin give lessons on rock showmanship — it’s hard not to admire the Lips’ goofy charisma and general display of balls (both literal and metaphoric). Before launching into a set that would include a song-for-song cover of one of the most iconic rock albums of all time, Coyne reminded the sold-out crowd to look up whenever they stepped outside the venue. “Tonight there is a very rare full blue moon shining down on Oklahoma,” he said. “How lucky are we to have the universe cooperating with us completely tonight?”
For the next two and half hours, the universe mostly did cooperate. Having re-embraced their noisy, psych-rock roots with the release of 2009’s excellent Embryonic, the Lips struck a nice balance between the touchy-feely vibe of populist hits like “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” with freaky new jams like “Convinced of the Hex.” It’s easy to forget what a ridiculously great pop song “She Don’t Use Jelly” actually is until seeing it played in an arena at peak volume while an ocean of glow sticks and beers are hoisted into the air. After announcing an impromptu marriage proposal that had just taken place in the crowd (congrats to Tony and Debbie, whoever you are), Coyne serenaded the crowd with a sing-along version of Oklahoma’s official state rock song, “Do You Realize??” ushering in 2010 and showering the room with approximately one-gazillion balloons. He then pulled his wife onstage for a sweet “Welcome to 2010, mo...
Article Source: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily