The Flaming Lips shared their quirky vision of the COVID-19 concert experience on The Late Show with a truly quarantined performance of “Race for the Prize” that featured both the band and the audience in their own personal bubbles.
Giant inflatable bubbles have long been a staple of Flaming Lips’ gigs, with Wayne Coyne venturing into the crowd while trapped within its plastic confines. For the Late Show, the Flaming Lips placed everyone in their own individual bubbles to protect the crowd from the coronavirus pandemic.
Unfortunately, Flaming Lips’ ingenuity arrived after the 2020 Coachella festival was canceled over lingering COVID-19 concerns.
Coyne and company performed “Race to the Prize” to celebrate the recent release of The Soft Bulletin: Live at Red Rocks featuring the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, featuring a full-album orchestral performance of their classic 1999 LP.
The Lips also recently released their new track “Flowers of Neptune 6” featuring Kacey Musgraves. The song’s music video similarly featured Coyne embarking on a journey while in his bubble.
