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How freakin amazing was Saturday night. I had anticipated the Lips show more than any other, and they far exceeded my expectations. I think that may have been the best show I've ever been to in my life. Never have i seen a crowd so filled with love.
I had been separated from my Friends for about 2 hours when I made it to the stage. I left police early to find a good spot. It was apparently the thing to do because I've never seen that many people at the side stage in the 4 previous years of Roo. Between sound check (War Pigs; Friggin Awesome) and the actual start of the set, i met up with 2 lovely ladies from Minnesota and another cat form Ohio, really cool kids. laser pointers were distributed, smiles exchanged, and the show started. Within 30 seconds I was in tears.
I would like to thank everyone that was in that crowd. So many times have I been overcome by absolute beauty on that farm, but never so intensely. Also, I've never felt such love reciprocated between a band and the crowd or between the crowd members themselves. Lastly, I want to thank Wayne and the Lips for providing such a thought provoking and inspiring show.
I'm sorry, but i have to disagree 100%. Wayne rambled way too much, musically it never got going, crowd was not into at all. I was terribly disappointed with what I saw and after the show I made my way over to the Mule and had a far better time.
Post by trippindaisy on Jun 19, 2007 12:44:00 GMT -5
farmerben said:
I'm sorry, but i have to disagree 100%. Wayne rambled way too much, musically it never got going, crowd was not into at all. I was terribly disappointed with what I saw and after the show I made my way over to the Mule and had a far better time.
Not sure where you were standing, but I was down by the soundboard and the crowd around me was totally into the whole show. Wayne did ramble a bit but the rest of the show by far made up for it in my mind. It was our first Lips show and we enjoyed every second of it, especially Warpigs.
Post by jackinslee on Jun 19, 2007 13:40:32 GMT -5
Let me just say that candy flipping + flaming lips = best experience of the roo.
words can't even do my experience justice. but if you weren't towards the front of the crowd you were missing out on all the love. by FARRRRRRRRRRRR the best crowd i've ever been in. everybody was postive and happy and caring for each other. i sound ridiculous, but those who were close know it's true. rambling??? he spoke directly to me man. read up on quantum physics and the power of intention it's exactly what he was touching on. all the positive energy meaning something and doing something. ahh! i can't even believe that show actaully happened. happiest i've ever been in my life.
Wow, thanks for smiting me for my voicing my opinion. The show was a let down. The UFO thing was boring as hell. Wayne rambled and said the same shit over and over, his voice sounded like crap, and yeah no one was into it because they would play a song, Wayne would ramble, and ramble and they would finally play another song. What he was saying may have been coherent, but it was stupid and trite. Does anyone really care what he thinks about the war???? No, because no one went to a political rally; people went to see them play music. There was a reason the show started out packed as hell and then there was tons of room to wander and it was not because of how late it was. The music did not go anywhere; any momentum they would have from playing a good song would be squashed from the long pauses between songs. The "sing a longs" that you mentioned did not exist. Wayne would cuss at people to sing, no one would sing, and then we would sit there and wait. I was incredibly excited about this show and was terribly let down. Smite away.
I thought the show was great especially the 'War Pigs' "soundcheck". However I was totally dissapointed with Wayne's voice. Did he have a off night? He sounded like a karaoke singer on crack.
Post by stallion pt. 2 on Jun 19, 2007 13:52:27 GMT -5
Sorry you felt that way Farmerben. Yes, wayne can be chatty, but I was expecting that and didn't really mind. As for the music, It was great. The UFO was impressive, the effects were top notch and the balance of emotion, tension and release was masterful. everyone around me was either awestruck and wide-eyed, dancing like a fool or near tears (I was all 3). I'm sorry you didnt enjoy it, but what were you expecting? Wayne is a consumate showman, and he puts everything he can into every show. He wants people to sing along because he wants to include everyone in the magic that is a lips show. But whatever. You can lead a horse to the party but you can't make him have fun.
And yes, Wayne doesn't have the strongest voice in the world but that's not the point. He's not trying to be Pavoratti. You're not there to be in awe of virtuoso musical performances. There can be more to music than fancy noodling and Belting out strong vocals. Oh well, to each their own.
John: We don't even understand our own music Spider: It doesn't, does it matter whether we understand it? At least it'll give us . . . strength John: I know but maybe we could get into it more if we understood it
Did anyone else notice...maybe it was just my state of mind... i had seen the lips 3 times previous to this roo... and i really think that they re-worked some of their tracks for this show... they sounded different but in a good way....
farmerben, I'm sorry I'm just a little worked up this year over bonnaroo it was great and I had fun I'm not trying to bash people and I did go a little too far in my last post. peace
Post by steveternal on Jun 19, 2007 14:22:24 GMT -5
The Lips show was far, far better than I or anyone else could have estimated. They brought the UFO, something they've only done once before for a DVD; they played for almost 2 1/2 hours, very rare for them; they are not a prolific band, yet they wrote a song specifically for the Bonnaroo show, for ALL OF US. They even tried something new on us with the laser pointers. In so very many ways it was a special event, and Wayne even made it clear at one point what a milestone the first 'roo show was for them, and how they really wanted to come back and do something unique and memorable for us this time. Well, they succeeded. I sure hope they really are back in two years, and I certainly think they could hold down a headlining spot.
best show of the weekend everything about it was perfect the world just felt right when i was staring up at the orange confetti hearing everyone around me singing "do you realize" one of the most beautiful moments of my life
Let me just say that candy flipping + flaming lips = best experience of the roo.
flipping at The Flips was indeed almost too much to bare. Me and my homie made our way to were the majority of the balloons were being smacked around up front, and by the time we made it that far, it was time to turn around and head towards Sasha and Digweed. Oh well, by that point, Wayne was getting very winded with his monologues between songs, and he kept wanting to talk about the war. While candy flipping (and on vacation,) i was in no mindset to hear a monotoned speech about Iraq, and besides, i was having problems following him.
I thought the songs and the stage show were both great and I stayed for the whole thing. My only problems were Wayne's speeches between songs (meaningful, but killed the show's momentum), his voice being a little off, and he also got a little hostile with the crowd at times (like trying to force everyone to sing along; if people are moved to, they will, don't try and create a "moment"). Still, a great show overall.
Post by stallion pt. 2 on Jun 19, 2007 15:32:25 GMT -5
The funniest part about Wayne's speeches were when the crowd and even Steve started getting impatient and giving him the signal to shut up and play. As for the moments I didn't think he was trying to force anybody, just trying to overcome the "I'm too cool to sing along" attitude that pervades a lot of the "Indie rock" audience. I did not take it as hostile, even when he kept calling us "fuckers." It's just a concert, after all.
John: We don't even understand our own music Spider: It doesn't, does it matter whether we understand it? At least it'll give us . . . strength John: I know but maybe we could get into it more if we understood it
Post by dogfighter28 on Jun 19, 2007 15:42:18 GMT -5
I am a HUGE Flaming Lips fan, even hosted a Zaireeka party at the University of Alabama. But this show was just a collosal dissapointment from my vantage point.
I think it was a combination of unfortunate factors - the people around me obviously weren't into it, I was exhausted from having a near heat stroke earlier, I wasn't terribly far, but not close enough to be with the hardcore fans. The incredibly weak setlist (come on! where is "The Spark that Bled"?? Play "Bohemian Rhapsody", Dammit!) and Waynes rambling killed whatever energy was left.
Also, they played a lot of the songs seemingly undertempo, or at least it felt that way because of the lack of energy. "Race for the Prize" felt particularly dry. The best part of the show was the "War Pigs" soundcheck - it was rip-roaringly energetic, and everyone was singing along and rocking out. "Do You Realize" and "The W.A.N.D" were very good as well.
Also, the UFO was cool, but do we really need the band to play the intro to Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" for like, 10 minutes? That shit was so lame.
Don't think I went in looking for things to pick apart - I was so stoked for this show. I wanted to love it so much, but I just couldn't.
Post by steveternal on Jun 19, 2007 15:53:42 GMT -5
I'm gonna up the music-nerd ante here: anyone else get super pumped and/or shout out "YEAH STRAVINSKY!!" when they piped out the grand cadence to the Firebird Suite as the UFO landed? That was a great choice on their part.
Post by stallion pt. 2 on Jun 19, 2007 15:57:07 GMT -5
It was a good choice, although I was a bit out of it at the time and couldn't quite place it. Thanks for clearing that up.
Slight tangant: when I saw them at Red Rocks last summer Wayne mentioned how cool it was to play on the same stage where Stravinsky had once conducted.
John: We don't even understand our own music Spider: It doesn't, does it matter whether we understand it? At least it'll give us . . . strength John: I know but maybe we could get into it more if we understood it
First Lips show for me. Since I stayed at the Police for the duration, I was far back (beside the beer sales I think) when they started. It was a pretty unique experience. I really enjoyed it. Couldn't see the stage too well but they really make you feel part of it with all the love raining down in the form of oversized orange balloons, confetti and mini laser pointers.
I'm glad I was a part of the first 30-45 mins but I had to take off to see Mule which turned out to be the best show of the weekend for me personally. I loved the Lips soundchecking w/War Pigs but Warren Haynes blew it out of the farm with his War Pigs as an encore to his 3.5 hour double set that included collaborations w/Michael Franti (missed due to Lips), John Paul Jones (Moby Dick/Livin' Lovin/Since Lovin' You/No Quarter = fucking epic!), Hot Tuna, Luther from NMA (wicked guitar duel), Bob Weir (sweet Sugaree), and Lewis Black (angry rant). He also encored w/Sweet Leaf. Holy shit I love Warren's Sabbath covers.
it depends on where you were. sounds like up front it was a great show. wayyyyyyyyy in the back and to the sides, it sucked. it wasn't loud enough, wayne sounds horrible and the energy just didn't make it back that far. but other factors also had something to do with me not enjoying it. exhaustion. a black lung from all the dust. all those fucking people trying to get from the police to flips. why couldn't they let them play on the main stage? makes perfect sense to me. makes no sense to make everyone move over to another stage. it was great to see all the people there to see them, but i just didn't enjoy it at all. funny note, walking back to our tent, the sound was wayyyy better far away. how does that work? i wish i had went to govt. mule instead.
Post by bojangles22 on Jun 19, 2007 17:54:33 GMT -5
the which stage is tricky. up close it's great. but if you are anywere further away from the trees the sound gets quiter and less Crisp.
I started in to the lips just before they started so it was Really hard to climb over the sea of peeples(5ft 7"), and i moved around from place to place about six times each time getting closer and closer. The show was great great great and here is why.
I know waynes vocals arn't the best, but he more than makes up for it with his presentation.....and yes he talked a bit, but I enjoyed his words because quite frankly, the Man just cares SO much about everyone. He has an enormous heart and it was SO good to feel that come through out of his music in front of tens of thousands of folks. to me thats what it is all about. It's easy to point out the things that need to be fixed in this twisted world, but Wayne puts on his show and tries his damndest to show everyone how easy happyness can be. The Flaiming lips show was very special to me..... oh and the "do you realize" at the end.... Goose Bumps
There was only 5 people between me and the stage. I waited for four hours with some really cool people and skipped Police to see them (kind of spontaneous after me and my buddy were up so close after Franz). Nobody can tell me any different that this was one of the most AMAZING SHOWS I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. That and The National on Thursday night, wow.
Awesome awesome pics there. I'm so upset I missed them. Although overall it seems this was the one year to miss Roo. Still though, it almost seems like seeing the Flips would've made up for all the other negative vibes I'm hearing about. If they're there next year, I dont care what work asks, I'll quit to get to go see them!
