(UPDATED: Go ahead and reread the whole damned thing!)
Ellie’s first festival experience. She’s quite interested in the lineup.
The highlights of the day were the Flaming Lips and Stone Temple Pilots. Corb Lund was okay, but not quite as Alt-Country as I thought he’d be. Caught bits and drabs of a few other acts as well, which makes me want to look into them further (Hey Ocean, from Vancouver, and the Fratellis from Glasgow).
I must say, Scott Weiland seemed to be in fine form. Still has that heroin addict physique, and quirky as ever.
So… the best first. Stone Temple Pilots, the original grunge rip off band. They were never what I’d consider to be a critically acclaimed band, and I wasn’t overly choked when they broke up for the twenty seventeenth time in ’02. And yet, they are ranked 40th on VHS’s top one hundred hard rocking bands (or something like that). But then again, what’s that list worth when Cheap Trick ranks 25th (way too high), and Neil Young and Crazy Horse 39th (way too low)?
Their set was surprisingly tight and well performed and fun to watch. My first time catching them live, and definitely well worth the visit.
Sublime Meets Silly
I have become a big Flaming Lips fan. Not the least reason of which they don’t take themselves to seriously.
Now, I’d heard that their shows are elaborate and a bit on the weird side. Goofy even. But I’d never had any direct experience (although I get to see them again this year, and will be looking forward to it). But get this, and try to imagine the collage: huge green and orange balloons, hundred of pieces (well, perhaps even millions – and I’m not exaggarating here) of confetti distributed by said balloons and confetti cannons, a “mike-cam” projecting Wayne Coyne’s mug on the JumbTron (Motorola’s version, so MotoTron?), and – I shit thee not – dancing Tele Tubbys on the sidelines.
Sheer genius by anyone’s imagination.
Q Magazine places the Lips at 14 on their list of 50 musical acts to see before you die. The show was simply amazing, and Coyne’s dulcet tones were pretty spot on. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing them again.
Here’s a bit o video goodness suggesting (nae, merely hinting) what it was like.