Thought ATP was an unbelievable festival, great venue. All the acts were fire. First Lips show I've seen and thought it was amazing.

I thought this weekend at ATP would be awesome. However, I didn't know it would be life altering!!!

The Flaming Lips' ATP performance is the only show in my fifteen years of seeing the Lips that I walked out on to drink beer and smoke cigarettes.

New songs sounded good. Everything else was and will remain the same. Biggest disappointment was during the encore. Wayne says, "We haven't played this song in a long time." My ears and spirits perk-up, hoping, praying for something out of leftfield. After all, this is ATP. A special and unique music festival showcasing the finest artists in the underground music community. Surely a band with such a rich history, a band which helped to cultivate the noisepop scene, would pay homage and respect not only to themselves, but to their dedicated and loyal fans who stuck with them when no one knew who the fuck they were. Well, what we were treated to was a sappy rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." This was the "old" song you were referring to, Wayne? Someone else's fucking song?

The most telling moment, for myself, during this performance was Wayne picking up a trumpet and playing "Taps." Those couple of minutes spoke more to me than anything. It was like being at a funeral for my favorite band.

Other than that ATP fucking ruled. Boris was a religious experience; Caribou Vibration Ensemble made a joyful noise with Marshall Allen from the Sun Ra Arkestra; I saw Oneida jam with Zach Hill and Birds of Avalon; Deerhunter kicked ass; the Melvins slayed my face; Deerhoof was great; No Age with Bob Mould killed; Boss Hog was in fine form; Shellac was funny and on point as always...that's all I can remember at this point. Boris, though, holy fucking christ. Atsuo attempts to crowd-surf and the emaciated hipsters drop him. Pissed, I help him up and provided the main support as he drifted on top of the crowd. He grabs my wrist and never let's up. I help him back onstage and he tries to drag me up there with him for another go-around. Not wanting to get dropped, I backed off and watched as Atsuo again made his way on top of the crowd over a sea of feedback, noise, and psychedelia.

Blown the fuck away. Boris ruled.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Emperor Clobbersaurus,

ouch

I was kicking myself all weekend for missing this...now the pangs of regret are no longer nagging...

Wow...I'm really glad I didn't pay the massive amount of money to go to this now. I really wanted to and was upset that I couldn't go. But I see now it was nothing special.

I'm typing this on my phone right now as we drive through Ohio making our way back to Chicago. Battery is almost dead, but I wanted to take this time just to say there is considerably more I would like to say, and will when I get a chance. The Flaming Lips have meant more to me than any other band...ever. I honestly felt like crying. I am not trying to dismiss their importance, or ignore what they mean to thousands of new fans, but for me, I was never more disappointed.

I can't agree more with you about the Lips performance. I was really really hoping that maybe they'd be able to pul out at least 1 great song. One song for a crowd Im sure they're aware of has a few dedicated old fans. I could have sworn I heard all of them say somewhere there was going to be special stuff planned for ATP. I guess they were only referring to the other bands they got to play. Here's the setlist

Intro
Race For The Prize
Silver Trembling Hands
The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
Fight Test [Stripped]
(Skipped Bad Days, even though I saw it written on their set list)
Enthusiasm For Life Defeats Existential Fear
Convinced Of A Hex
Vein Of Stars / Firebird Suite
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 1 [Stripped]
Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung
Taps
The W.A.N.D.
Do You Realize (all though it was put on their encore along with She Don't Use Jelly on their setlist)

Encore:
Somewhere Over The Rainbow

I mean thats just basically the same set they've played everywhere else with the exceptions of skipping Bad Days, and playing Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Although Wayne said they had played it in Netherlands last week anyway. One of the more exciting moments for me was when Michael was sound checking and it sounded like Drug Machine In Heaven.

I got to dance on stage, and that was pretty fun! As for the set, I believe what made it special was that it was a laser show. I had hoped for a bit more surprise (or at least Bad Days), but I can't say it was a bad show

quote:

Originally posted by Greatrayray:
I got to dance on stage, and that was pretty fun! As for the set, I believe what made it special was that it was a laser show. I had hoped for a bit more surprise (or at least Bad Days), but I can't say it was a bad show

You're a youngster, you got to dance on stage and play with lasers, of course it was a good show.

But what's sad is that it wasn't an over-the-top, unlike any other, one of a kind crazy out there experience. I mean, they curated the damn event---when will that ever happen again? You'd think they would have relished the opportunity to go off the beaten track.

Oh well. Still looking forward to the new record.

I agree with people's disappointment in the set list (I had visions of an all-night, star-studded ultra-noise jam), but I still feel like I witnessed a classic show. They didn't take any risks (other than the fact they were there in the first place instead of performing in a major city for 10,000 plus), but they absolutely played their hearts out. I see it as going down in Lips history as the definitive post-Mystics/pre-Embryonic performance. Also, as an audiophile nerd, I have to say that the venue, the PA system and the people operating it were phenomenal. The loudest and clearest thing my ears have ever heard. The organizers really put their hearts and souls into the event as well.

I wonder what ever happened with that whole vote for your top 5 songs. Was Bad Days even one of the top 5?

quote:

Originally posted by Emperor Clobbersaurus:

Boris ruled.

I've been telling everyone this forever!

quote:

Originally posted by Goalieman707:
I wonder what ever happened with that whole vote for your top 5 songs. Was Bad Days even one of the top 5?

It was #1.

Hey Emp, did we run into each other at all? I didn't really know who to look for...

quote:

Originally posted by Greatrayray:
Hey Emp, did we run into each other at all? I didn't really know who to look for...

I saw him, he was too far back for me to get to though. Which side of the stage were you dancing on? I was literally right in front of Steven.

The "old-school" fans are always such downers in these threads.

quote:

Originally posted by Emperor Clobbersaurus:
I'm typing this on my phone right now as we drive through Ohio making our way back to Chicago. Battery is almost dead, but I wanted to take this time just to say there is considerably more I would like to say, and will when I get a chance. The Flaming Lips have meant more to me than any other band...ever. I honestly felt like crying. I am not trying to dismiss their importance, or ignore what they mean to thousands of new fans, but for me, I was never more disappointed.

I felt precisely the same way after Lips show in Melbourne in July. Sad to hear but feeling somewhat vindicated that I'm not the only one who feels let down by another stale Lips performance

quote:

Originally posted by sterling5587:
The "old-school" fans are always such downers in these threads.

Coz we remember how good their shows USED to be!

I had a great time, just like every other show of the Lips that I have been to. What was the real treat for me was seeing the guys around all weekend, and talking to Kliph and Steven on a few seperate occasions. Thanks so much for curating the day, Sunday was full of some of the greatest musical performances I may ever witness (particularly Boredoms and Deerhoof). The whole weekend was magical for me. One of the best in recent memories.

I am not sure why you felt the need to retract what you said, Kliph. I most certainly do not wish to play this out publicly, and I sure as fuck do not give one goddamn iota of what sterling5587 or any other fan thinks about how I feel about a band I've been supporting for almost twenty years. But in the interest of fair play to those who did see what you wrote, I didn't think that our personal friendship was based on a slavish devotion to The Flaming Lips. God knows I've been pretty vocal about my passion and appreciation for your band over my seven years on this forum, and my ten years prior to that.

You've obviously either felt bad about what you previously wrote, or, like me, you are anti-drama. Whatever the case might be this was an emotionally taxing weekend for all parties involved. I sincerely wish you nothing but the best in your personal and artistic life.