An Epic Night for An Epic Album Anniversary: Flaming Lips Perform at The Anthem

Celebrating “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” the iconic Flaming Lips album’s 21st-anniversary tour brought all the nostalgia and confetti one could wish for.

The laser-shooting, inflatable-blowing, confetti-filled party that is the Flaming Lips rolled up to The Anthem on May 25 for a sold-out performance of their epic 2002 album “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.”

Surrounding themselves with enormous inflatable pink robots (get it?), lead singer Wayne Coyne and company took the audience through a track-by-track journey of “Yoshimi” (in case you’re wondering, she still has a black belt in karate. Hiya! Hiya!) with all of the props and visual aids that have become standard for a Flaming Lips show.

Disco ball? Check. Inflatable balls with confetti? Check. Confetti canons exploding on a very regular basis (to the point where you wonder what their confetti budget might be and how custodian crews at venues must absolutely loathe them)? Check. Lasers, bubbles and mylar flags? Check, check and check.

Coyne, who looked like Johnny Depp dressed as Sweeney Todd, early on explained the proceedings for the evening (“We’re going to play until they kick us out”). It didn’t come to that extreme, but this lengthy show was not for the faint of heart (or feet) or anyone with a babysitter who charged overtime, clocking in at a whopping three hours (including one 15-minute intermission).

Upon completion of the full Yoshimi album (with “Do You Realize?” garnering the biggest sing-along moment) and intermission, the Flaming Lips started off the second half with “She Don’t Use Jelly,” their breakthrough 1993 hit which sent “Yay! The nineties!” recognition cheers through the audience and made those old enough to remember and long for the days of MTV’s “120 Minutes.”

That burst of energy was short-lived though and there were moments during the second set where the energy would lag forcing Coyne to repeatedly attempt to rev up the crowd with “Come on! Come on! Come on!” while pumping his arms.

He was more successful getting their attention while briefly sporting a Wonder Woman Snuggie (because, why not?) and telling a fun story of how their song “Flowers of Neptune 6” was inspired by a story Kacey Musgraves told him about how she dropped acid, rescued a firefly and proceeded to dance with it inside her house for several hours. As if that wasn’t enough of a revelation, the band also did a very credible cover of Madonna’s “Borderline.”

What was also a revelation was how incredibly diverse the audience was, with multiple sightings of parents giving their young children (to hell with the babysitter!) piggybacks or lifting them on their shoulders so they could see the spectacle over the general admission crowd. Forty years into their career it is quite clear they have multiple generations as their fanbase.

And maybe that’s the point of keeping the expectations of their shows the same as they have been for years. There is a certain comfort level that the Flaming Lips provide their audience who know what they’re going to get when they see them live. Yes, Wayne Coyne will be in a huge inflatable ball at some point. Yes, you will be covered with confetti. It was a whimsical, fanciful musical trip; one where it made complete sense to end the concert with Coyne holding massive mylar balloons that spelled out “F–K YEAH WASHINGTON D.C.”

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Christina Smart