I mean obviously, you guys know that The Flaming Lips are my all-time favorite band. And you know when it gets around Christmas time that my Facebook is being blown to shreds with posts and pictures of my various Flaming Lips experiences and hopes for the future.
This year, for Christmas, my mom got me three tickets to see the New Years Eve Freakout in Oklahoma City. This was the second time I've driven 16 hours total in a less than 48 hour time frame just to see my boys. And, the truth is...that's nothing. Some fans came from Florida, Michigan, Chicago, California, Australia, and supposedly Italy. This concert is a huge deal to die-hard FL fans. It's my favorite day of the year.
After a surprisingly pleasant 8 hour drive to the city, Derek, Jordan, and I checked into our cheap hotel room to begin the night with quick runs to the local liquor store and Sonic for dinner. By the way, Oklahoma has the most elaborate and psychedelic X-mas trees I have ever seen. I can't even begin to fathom how many car accidents they cause. When we returned to our room we began our festivities. Sparkly face masks, yellow dresses, pink tutus, sparkly blue-balls bouncing around my face (HAHAH). I went as Yoshimi and my costume (planned less than 24 hours in advance) turned out to be pretty epic. Derek went as a New Year Baby (wearing only Depends and a top hat). Jordan came as our experienced and creative photographer for the evening. I even convinced him to put on a sparkly mask and antennas!
Needless to say, Derek was pretty hammered by the time we left the room. I was getting there; but sadly put way more effort into putting my costume together than downing booze. Jordan, our fabulous DD, found free parking under a massive expressway bridge and we were off, singing She Don't Use Jelly the entire way to the convention center. Even better, when we arrived at the security check our StubHub tickets worked flawlessly and Jordan had no problem getting his camera and two lenses in. We were almost immediately greeted by people wanting to take our picture. Lovely fans with Free Hugs signs stood around the merch table and the beer stand. Aliens, pink hair, sparkles everywhere. So much love.
After taking a walk or two around the arena to show off our costumes, getting various stoner high-fives of approval, we found our seats and the show eventually began!
I read, I think it was on Billboard, that Wayne said that his shows are normally like a typical New Years Eve show, so when they do an actual NYE show they have to go all out. Tons (probably literally) of confetti, explosions of color, dancing butterflies, inch worms, and flowers. This is just the beginning. Steven, Kliph, and Michael all, of course, entered the stage through a giant pulsating vagina. Quickly following was Wayne in his famous ball, crowd surfing on screaming fans. Balloons filled the entire arena behind the stage, but at least 30 of them had made their way into the pit by the time the show started, bouncing gleefully across the stage. Wayne, ever so often, shot his confetti gun into the crowd. Giant hands with green lasers shooting from their palms. Smoke smoke smoke! The giant arch LED screen constantly portrayed images of naked women dancing, wolves howling, smiling baby suns, girls in bathtubs, sunrises, telletubbies, and some extreme close-ups of Wayne's face as he sang to the crowd. The world's biggest mirror ball reflected the stage lights and laser beams from the crowd. Giant, and I mean giant, balloons hung from the ceiling by string. Wayne even married a couple, Sandy & Andy, on stage at the beginning of the concert! The first Flaming Lips wedding ever!
They played an array of songs from all their albums. I wasn't disappointed for a second. They played all their best songs; See the Leaves, Silver Trembling Hands, I Can Be A Frog, The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song, Do you Realize?, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, and so many more.Setlist:
The Birth
Worm Mountain
Silver Trembling Hands
She Don’t Use Jelly
Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
In The Morning of the Magicians
I Can Be a Frog
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt.1
See the Leaves
The Ego’s Last Stand
Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung
Do You Realize??
Balloon Drop/NYE Countdown
Race for the Price
A Spoonful Weighs a Ton
The Spark That Bled
The Spiderbite Song
Slow Motion
Buggin’
What Is The Light?
The Observer
Waitin’ for a Superman
Suddenly Everything Has Changed
The Gash
Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
Sleeping on the Roof
But this new year had only begun. For the first time in the history of The Flaming Lips; the band decided to play their best album, The Soft Bulletin, in its entirety. Wayne mentioned that some of the songs they had never played lived before, ever. I was ecstatic. It was more than perfect. My favorite album, my favorite band, my favorite man. All in one room with confetti and balloons. AH. So good. Derek told he teared up a little during Teaspoon Weighs a Ton. I was especially moved when Wayne was signing The Spiderbite Song and explaining to the audience how much he loves Stephen and Michael. He is such a heart-felt man. The night was finished off with Feeling Yourself Disintegrate, where Wayne explained how the song was about really realizing that everyone you know and love, even strangers and people you can't stand, will all eventually die. How important it is to understand the impermanence and beauty of life. My heart nearly exploded. I was in heaven.
This is why I love the Flaming Lips. This is why I dedicate hundreds of statuses and blog entries to this band. This is why I have driven over a 1000 miles in 2010 going to various Flaming Lips concerts. Because they are a band of people who are not afraid to express love. Who express it openly, with confetti and megaphones. Their music is about the essence of life and love and the beauty of our experiences with one another. I've never seen a show, or heard a band, with such an outstanding record of pure love and compassion. It fills my soul to the brim.
The show ended around 2:30 a.m. Needless to say, I was exhausted. Standing and dancing like a maniac for 5 hours straight has it's repercussions. Plus, I was completely worn out from being on an overload of happiness. Not to mention the lingering thought that I had to be up at 10 am to drive back home another 8 hours. I was absolutely content, and ready for sleep.On the way out of the show Derek, being in a giant diaper, was in desperate need to change into normal clothes before going out into the freezing wind of OKC. We couldn't find a fucking mens bathroom anywhere. On on search to find a changing space, we turned our route a little out of the way and stumbled upon the greatest moment of my entire life. We were standing right in front of the ramp the lead straight to the top of the stage. And at the top of the ramp....was Wayne. Standing right there. Talking to fans. Right. In. Front. Of. Me.
I simultaneously died and was electrocuted into life in the same moment. I wind-shield wiped my eyes. Hello? Is this really happening? Me and Derek just looked at each other, like: oh my god...this is real. I quickly turned to Derek and claimed that we needed to keep it totally cool, and just try walking up on stage like we had backstage passes or something. I think my mind instantly clicked into "concentrate on not freaking the fuck out" mode. I have literally no idea how I didn't faint. Took a deep breath...and starting walking up the ramp.
No one stopped me. No one did anything. But smiled as we passed. I reached the top of the ramp and was standing 2 feet from my favorite person in the universe. I'll repeat myself, I have no idea how I didn't pass out. I tried to start causal conversation with other fans on stage, to try and remain cool, or at least look cool. This was the most insane tunnel-vision, fluid, dream-like moment of my entire life. I had no control of my mind or my body. I was just in absolute shock. Jordan looked over at me and said "Rachael, you're going to meet Wayne Coyne....". I immediately followed with a quick "SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!" I was trying immensely hard to detach my mind from the fact that this was really happening. Derek was literally shaking. When Wayne saw him he started laughing and said "Look at this guy, comin' right for me!" I just stood there, in total amazement as Derek introduced himself and told him he was a big fan.
A few other fans made their way up to Wayne and started different conversations with him. Wayne is so down to earth, I mean I had always heard that he was...but seeing it in person was so much more than I could of expected. He was in no hurry to get away, to go home, or to ignore his fans. Any person who came up to him with something say got his attention. He asked their names, where they were from, and talked about whatever they wanted to talk about. He hugged a younger girl for at least a minute straight. Wayne will never be the first person to release from a hug. He'll hold on tight until you feel satisfied. I think she was just as happy, if not happier, than I was.I tried my best to let the other people talk to him as well. They were all so cool and collected. Not me. I was freaking the fuck out. Every time Wayne started a new conversation with a fan I felt like I was losing my chance to get to meet him. Derek calmed me down by telling me that we had all night and that he wasn't going anywhere. Derek finally got his attention and we began to talk. Talking about St. Louis, he shows at the Pageant, Forecastle, Snoop Dog, and Derek busting his face open. Derek, being the confident person he is, nonchalantly pointed at me and informed Wayne that I was his biggest fan. He said "Wayne, this girl loves you. You have no idea. She's like you're biggest fan." I looked at him with..."It's so trruuuuuuueeee" eyes. I told him that his band changed my life, that they were my favorite band in the entire world, and that I couldn't believe that I was actually meeting him. I asked him if I could give him a hug, because this was by far the biggest moment of my life. He opened his arms with a huge, genuine smile and pulled me in to a wonderfully heart-felt hug.
I died. I can't believe I didn't cry. Or pass out. Or throw up. He looked me right in the eye and said "Wow, I really love all that shit on your face! That's so cool! You know, anyone could of just showed up but you put a whole lot of effort into that!" In the most pathetic voice known to man kind I said "Yeah, I really tried!". Could I of acted like any more of a loser? I mean really. Well, honestly, I'm totally amazed I didn't faint in the first place....so the fact that I could stay calm and have a semi-decent conversation with the man is a miracle.
Derek, not so gracefully, mentioned the fact that we fully planned on driving by his house the following morning in hopes that he would be home so we could wave at him from our car. I figured Wayne would be totally creeped out. Nope. He fucking invited us over to his house. I'm not kidding. He said " Nah man, just stop by tomorrow! Do it. No big deal. Just don't come over too early, because I'll be here for another few hours". Just like that. Wayne Coyne invited us to his house.I don't think my mind could of handled any more stimulus. My jaw must of dropped to the floor. This entire moment is sort of a blur.
We must of hung around for at least 45 minutes. Before we left, I went up to him and asked him for just one more hug. He gladly obliged. My life was complete.
But don't think for a second that I was actually able to pull off being that calm. The second I got 30 feet from Wayne on the way out of the convention center, I had a panic attack. I was literally hyperventilating. Deeply. I called my mom. GASP GASP GASP Moo...mooo..mmoooooommm...GASP GASP GASP.... IIIIIII....IIIII.. GAAAASSSSP....IIII jjuu...juuusst....meeee....meettttt....GASP GASP GASP...WAYYNNNNEEE! I cried. I couldn't breathe. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was hysterically laughing, crying, suffocating, and screaming all at the same time. If any of you received a voicemail from me that night...please save it. Forever. I want to hear it later.
Thank JESUS I have a friend who loves the Flaming Lips almost as much as I do. Chris. I called him as soon as I got off the phone and attempted to explain to him that I met Wayne and got invited over to his house through all the gasps and tears. It was the best feeling on earth knowing that I could explain how I felt to someone who I knew would really understand. He told me that he didn't know a single person the planet who wanted or deserved that moment more than I did. My heart exploded. I have never had such an intense panic attack in my life.
After my hyperventilating subsided, I went into quiet shock. Could barely speak or comprehend what was happened. Then quickly back to screaming and jumping up and down. Then mindlessly giggling like a drunk asshole in the hotel. Every person in the lobby looked at me like I was the most intoxicated person they'd ever seen. I failed in my attempt to convince passing people that I was actually totally sober. I demanded a totem when we got back into the hotel, and begged my brother to tell me that it was real, that I wasn't dreaming, and that I had actually really just met Wayne.
I think I finally fell asleep while giggling to myself in bed around 4:30 am.
We explored the city for a while in the morning. Went to Flaming Lips Alley and IHOP for breakfast. And then decided to stop by Waynes around 1:00 PM. The GPS got us to his house, and it was obvious that he has no shame in hiding who he is or where he lives. I won't go into great detail, but you definitely know a member of the Flaming Lips lives at his house. We went up to his doorstep and knocked on his door. I thought I was going to throw up. I couldn't comprehend what could happen in the following moments. I was entirely too nervous. Plus, because I had no intentions or expectations of meeting him, I only brought my concert costume and PJS. So there I was, on New Years Day, in flannel pajamas and a hoodie...on Wayne's doorstep.
Turns out, he wasn't home. Or was sleeping. I think we just accepted the fact that our new years eve was absolutely perfect and let it be. I couldn't imagine it being any better and I felt a little awkward being at his house in the first place. I left him a short letter I wrote, telling him how his band has changed my life, and the world. All the cliche stuff.
Blew a imaginary kiss into the air and thanked my lucky stars that I was able to experience such a magical moment in my life.
Quick update: It's now January 4th and I still have about 3 panic attacks a day while looking at the pictures from the show.
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