Flaming Lips @ Metro 12/31/02 - Best Live Show of the Decade?

After finally coming to grips that it was time to start thinking about putting together end of year and best of decade lists, an idea popped in my head that I should dig through the RFC archives and re-post some of my favorite live shows that I've covered here. However, after the nostalgia floodgates broke open, I quickly realized that what was by far my favorite show of the decade occurred long before the launch of this site.

The Flaming Lips New Year's Eve show at Metro to ring in 2003 was easily my concert-going zenith at the time and nothing since has ever really came close. Other shows may have had more critical merit, but speaking purely from the raw enjoyment of a contained concert experience, this one will probably always top my list.

Flaming Lips - Knives Out (KCRW Version)

That being said, there certainly were plenty of critical/artistic factors that led to this show becoming an all-time favorite. I was at the peak of my Flaming Lips fandom as their epic performances of The Soft Bulletin the previous couple of years had made them my favorite live band and then earlier in the summer they dropped a new favorite, Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots. I would later burn myself out on Yoshimi and even on the Lips themselves, but at the time they could do no wrong in my mind and I couldn't think of anything else I'd rather do for New Year's than go to a big party headlined by The Flaming Lips. OK, technically seeing Radiohead at Metro may have been my ultimate New Year's wish that year, but at the same time The Flaming Lips definitely fit in more with the atmosphere of a NYE party. Speaking of which, that leads me to another insanely idealistic factor about this show. The Lips actually covered Radiohead ("Knives Out") that night...AND they did Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd cover ("Lucifer Sam"). My favorite live band of the moment covering two of my favorite bands of all time, it was all too good to be true! 

In addition to the Lips providing the perfect NYE party atmosphere, Metro served as the perfect setting to contain it all. Big enough to provide that enveloping rawk concert feel, but still small enough that you can get a good view of the band from just about anywhere. Seeing The Flaming Lips subsequently at larger venues, it just never felt quite the same. And that really goes for about everything from this show. The rock gods were smiling on me that night and it was an experience that I'd doubt I'll ever be able to replicate.  

Bonus Track: Flaming Lips -  White Christmas (WXPN Version)

Anybody care to chime in on what your favorite live show of the decade was??

Comments

[Juicy Couture Handbags]

why can not post in ?

[Brad]

huge thanks for catching that...was totaly going for the opposite.

[oscar]

Sounds like a great show... but Brad, in your post above, I think you meant the opposite of 'nadir'. Nadir is 'the lowest point'.
PS-In my sentence above, I am fully aware that putting the period after the quotation may be wrong.