Monday, September 18, 2006

Sonic Youth & The Flaming Lips, How Magical

As in, seeing the Magic Numbers, the prolific Sonic Youth and the always-imaginative The Flaming Lips. At the State Fair, no less. Talk about a way to kick off the fair! Unfortunately, pouring rain and wild wind also accompanied the start of the fair, so the show was delayed for a while. The Magic Numbers couldn't open since all the equipment had to dry out, meaning that Sonic Youth began the evening, who put on a very lively, lovely and loud show. I was mondo impressed by their musicianship, even if the die-hards in the crowd pointed out some instrumental mishaps.

Being the generous gents they are, The Flaming Lips let the Magic Numbers play a few songs after the Lips played a few of theirs. That was nice, though it did throw off the mood a bit, since the Lips are all about theatrics: confetti, big plastic bubbles, streamers, dancing martians, dancing santas, smoke, lights, big blue balls floating and flying about, and crazy videos displayed on stage. Wayne Coyne got in his beloved plastic bubble and rolled around the crowd, smiling and giggling all the while trying to maintain his balance. It was the perfect way to start off, building momentum towards a crazy, crazy show. Performance wise, this was the best show I've seen this year. You just can't top the action that happened onstage. Whomever decided to have the Flaming Lips and Sonic Youth open the fair, well, they are simply geniuses.

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