The Flaming Lips at Somerset House

One thing to expect from a Flaming Lips show is spectacle. Joyfully absurd, the psychedelic sound and sight of the band, birthed from the extraordinary mind of Wayne Coyne, is as much about presence as it is about the songs. With Somerset House as the backdrop, a place so synonymous with art and careful curation, the Summer Series feels like the perfect setting for such a surreal and colourful vision.

After warming up with It Overtakes Me, the gig truly starts with Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, parts one and two. Slowly inflating, four towering pink robots emerge on stage as Coyne sings, bringing the villains of The Flaming Lips’ tenth studio album to life. Following a call and response, Yoshimi Pt. 2 bursts into colourful chaos with giant balloons and confetti cannons, throwing the audience headfirst into the kaleidoscope to come.

The Spark That Bled brings a different energy to the venue as a slower, classic rock number that sits well with an adoring crowd. What follows is a faithful rendition of Daniel Johnston’s True Love Will Find You in the End, its bittersweet sincerity brightened by Coyne’s appearance in a Wonder Woman costume.

Every song is accompanied by a whimsical flourish, reflecting the group’s buoyant energy and image. Yet, Coyne’s connection with the audience remains personal, even pausing to acknowledge this as one fan’s 91^st concert. Before Do You Realize?? ends the first set, the artist extends this connection, asking the crowd to turn to the people they came with and tell them they love them. For any other act, this moment might seem like a corny stunt, but this focus is built into the band’s foundation.

Set two begins with the singer in a giant hamster ball: a beloved fixture of Flaming Lips shows for over 20 years. The vibrant sounds of Race for the Prize give Coyne enough time to float above the crowd for an instant, seeing faces and fans up close before the verse begins. Straight into She Don’t Use Jelly, one is spoiled by back-to-back hits made even more special by the accompanying theatrics.

Taking it back to earlier work, Five Stop Mother Superior Rain demonstrates the evolution of their music, bringing back the angsty, raw edge that differs from their polished, abstract sound at present. Coyne follows this with an unreleased song, introduced with a mention of his older brother, who died just a week earlier. Even in such a deeply personal moment, Coyne’s inflatable costume keeps the upbeat spirit alive, proving that tenderness and absurdity can exist side by side, as they often do for The Flaming Lips.

After a few favourites and an excellent cover of War Pigs, the concert finishes with A Spoonful Weighs a Ton. At once light and heavy-hitting, characterised by delicate flourishes and distortion, it epitomises the band’s sound and ever-shining optimism. Under blue strobes, waving hands and sparkling effects, this is how the showcase ends; a spectacle through and through.

Daisy Grace Greetham
Photos: Paul Boyling

For further information and future events, visit The Flaming Lips’s website here.

Watch the video for Do You Realize?? here: