- Mar 15, 2023
- 3 min read

The Flaming Lips Mesmerize The House of Blues (Photos)

In a world of tour abundance, few do it like the psych-rock ensemble.

Text, Photos by Joshua Alvarez (@joshua.jam3s) on March 7, 2023:

With a celebrated American Head Tour slowly coming to an end, The Flaming Lips showered The House of Blues in Anaheim with love, music and tons of confetti. Frontman Wayne Coyne commenced a countdown himself, building excitement among a colorful crowd dressed in both casual clothing and unicorn costumes among other eclectic styles of choice.

As one would come to expect from the band, it was nothing short of a dreamlike spectacle. Nothing says fantasy like a giant rainbow that extends from one side of the stage to the other and a singer performing within a giant clear ball before transitioning into a Wonder Woman onesie.

The Flaming Lips took advantage of their entire discography with hits like Do You Realize ?, She Don't Use Jelly, and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1 getting their shine. A massive, 20 foot tall inflatable robot hovered over the crowd with Wayne dancing in between and around it, making the best out of every inch of that House of Blues stage. Confetti canons were fired off as bubbles floated in the thousands while digital screen visuals and lasers that made you feel as if you were on a really awesome trip without being under the influence comprised this spectacle of a performance. Wayne addressed a new concert goer and assures them that not every concert is like this, but the bar was certaintly set insanely high with such a stunning performance.

The band delivered a lengthy set filled with deeply personal stories sprinkled in between songs that were welcomed by the enthusiastic crowd, giving the performance a strong admiration for their fans as well as relatable touch that most concerts don’t typically give you on this level. It truly was an "evening of" festivity. To close the night, Race For The Prize came on and a giant mylar balloon that read “Fuck Yeah Anaheim” floated around, sparking a frenzy among the crowd as confetti consumed the room.

The "wow" factor and overall level of excitement that came from this show was on a whole other level, as seen by the crowd's facial expressions. It's unlike anything you've experienced concert-wise in your life, guaranteed. From beginning to end, it was one hell of a roller coaster ride that I wouldn’t mind experiencing again. For those keen, the band will be hitting the road to celebrate 20 years of Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (2002) this summer, and you can find tour dates and a ticket link below.

The Flaming Lips Photo Gallery