lips service

after dinner at island prime we raced over to east village to catch the flaming lips perform the last set at the free southern comfort music festival. we got to the petco park parking lot around 9:40 or so, and it sounded like they were playing part of kashmir as we walked up to a huge line of a couple hundred people. we hadn't thought of that. it didn't look like the line was moving at all, so we went around to the south side of the lot and watched most of the show through the chain link fence (after a little while security came along and say the gates were open, and i did go in at one point to use the porta potties).

most of what i recognized was from their most recent album, which i'm not too crazy about. "vein of stars" and the rocking "Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung" were highlights from that. we left during an emotional "superman" (not my choice to leave, but no biggie) and heard a set-closing "do you realize" as we walked back to the car. prior to that, however, the show felt pretty uninspired and moved at a glacial pace. lead singer wayne coyne encouraged the fans to smoke as much pot as they liked, and to enjoy their f-ing free show, etc. it was funny to watch the ambivalence of the crowd to coyne's anti-bush (and long-winded) chatter between songs. while i agree with him, a liquor company-sponsored show in disengaged san diego is about the last place to expect a spirited reaction to this sobering talk.

wayne did say they had a great time at street scene in '05 at the qualcomm stadium lots, which was a far better show. he remarked on how he'd love to play it again if it returns to downtown, and maybe this year's coming flop will get its promoter, rob hagey, to consider downsizing to a show at this location. of course, these parking lots won't be there much longer, so this site is likely out in the near future.