On October 3oth I saw The Flaming Lips play a very special Halloween set for a very small crowd in the basement of a West Virginia house. Over the next several days I’ll be uploading videos, photos and details on the show. Ask any and all questions you have about the party in the comment section below and I will reply in the near future. For starters, here’s the basics:
Who
Three bands – 600 Pounds of Sin, Greens and The Flaming Lips – and a few dozen of their friends.
What
A Halloween house party. Literally a Halloween party complete with chips, vegetables and dip – just like any other… eexcept these weird Okies with face paint, robs, and skeleton suits showed up…
There was purple popcorn. Wayne helped the kids make it.
The Lips played three songs, each deemed a “Halloween classic” by Wayne: “Halloween” by Dream Syndicate, “Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath and “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus. Steven sang the latter, Wayne the first two. Derek played a worn-down organ that happened to be in the basement and ripping guitar. Kliph rocked!
It was without a doubt the best sounding Lips’ show I have ever experienced.
They looked pretty cool too…
Where
Shhh…that’s a secret.
Originally it was supposed to be at Tatum’s house. Who’s Tatum you ask? She’s a high school student from West Virginia who follows Wayne on twitter…by which she asked him to come play for her and her friends. The show was moved to another house….shhh…that’s a secret…
When
October 30, 2011… the eve of the 24 hour song release…
…..and the 20th anniversary of the band’s major label debut…
Why
Wayne asked that very question to the small crowd right before the band started playing, “Why are we doing this…well, why don’t we do it…”
Many more details to follow.
Ask your questions in the comment section below and I will reply.
Happy Halloween!
The Future Heart 
Did you get any recordings?
LikeLike
Thanks for the report. I have been beside myself ever since Wayne announced the gig. Glad you got to attend :>
So many questions…. like:
– How many people were there?
– What did the stage look like? Any special effects?
LikeLike
Free drinks?
LikeLike
– Did you get any recordings?
Yes! I’m making a multi-cam edit of the entire show. And maybe files for audio downloads too…
Not the best quality, but decent.
More info to follow…
– How many people were there?
I’m guessing 4 or 5 dozen. Not that many, but enough to fill the basement and back porch.
– What did the stage look like? Any special effects?
No stage…
The basement was split about 2/3rds across by the staircase. The Lips (and 2 other bands) played on the bigger side of the basement, towards the side/ back. In other words, if you were standing on the stairs you would be right above Kliph at the drums, looking at Steven and Wayne in front of him and a crowd huddled around them.
It was a tight fit…
There were some Christmas lights draped from the ceiling, and somebody flickered the lights on and off. That’s about it as far as “special effects” go.
– Free drinks?
…to go with the purple popcorn…
LikeLike
http://twitter.com/#!/FearkessFreak25/status/131084927973330945
The Lips played three songs, each deemed a “Halloween classic” by Wayne: “Halloween” by Dream Syndicate, “Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath and “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus
LikeLike
http://twitter.com/#!/skeeloco/status/131151797648752640
It was awesome. Even without the Lips it would’ve been fun. Very nice people. Cool vibe…
LikeLike
http://twitter.com/#!/jimmyjames4/status/131084797610176512
You never can tell with The Flaming Lips…
LikeLike
This was at my house, I am still questioning that it happened. Thanks for the nice write up!
LikeLike