The Flaming Lips never stood a chance. Following the back-to-back transcendence of The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, albums that melded state-of-the-art psychedelia with weird poignance and became essential soundtracks to the 2000s, was impossible – and the Lips seemed to know it. The band didn’t so much run out of ideas as run from them, seeking diversion in one gummy-encrusted, alienating experiment after another. This year’s Oczy Mlody flirts with synth-spacey beauty, but its grooves dissipate and its tunes, when discernible, meander. So why give a Lips live show a chance? Because no band on earth has as much fun with rock spectacle – and that’s always a trip worth taking.
Cherry Baby: Props to the Lips for bringing young L.A. band Cherry Glazerr along for the ride. Noise-punk fans should arrive early; they’ll want to witness every shredding scream.
Watch the video for the Flaming Lips' "There Should Be Unicorns" below:
The Flaming Lips
8 p.m. Sunday, April 23. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard. $40 to $45 314-726-6161.
