Pop Culture Buzz

GRADE: A+

This concert is getting my highest rating for many reasons. Right off the bat I could tell there was going to be a great vibe. You could see that the quality of sound was massive and by the way the stage was decorated you could tell we were about to be treated to a huge spectacle. I had already decided I was going to make a point to show my Flaming Lips love by dressing up in a pink bunny suit, one which The Lips have used in their videos and stage act many times. I really got into the spirit of the event. After all it was New Years Eve-Eve and I was ready to make a fool of myself!

Within a few minutes of entering the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium I knew this night would be special. There were give away tables with blinking lights, glowing glasses, glow sticks and even a cute little “Tic-Tac” cart with free mints. The space was huge and I noticed that the concert was not sold out. That was more of a benefit than a let down. The less the better I thought, than I can make my way up to the stage.

Cat Power came on with a mellow anticipation and the crowd that gathered towards the stage was considerably big. The set started of with a great funky line up and never veered off into the melancholic blues her recorded work is known for. Instead the set started off what would be a funky, bluesy, silly extravaganza. Lead singer Chan Marshall was in good spirits and exceptionally happy with the reaction of the crowd. I love this group and Marshalls hypnotic, sad but mellow charm. She played most of the magical hits from her latest c.d. “The Greatest”, and that was a special treat.

As the lights went down I was getting more and more amped for Gnarls Barkley. Then out of nowhere an older hippie looking gentleman came up to me and asked if I was a Flaming Lips fan. I guess the pink bunny outfit worked pretty well. I of course replied, “hell yes”. He then asked if I would be interested in joining the band for the entire show and wear an inflatable Santa Clause suit and dance along to the show. I nearly shit myself, but immediately said of course I would.

I was instructed to meet the stage manager at 10:10 to be orientated on my dance moves and to get back stage. Within a few seconds Gnarls Barkley came on with a grand entrance. Dressed as space men the band came on like a sonic boom.They played nearly their whole current hit debut c.d. “St. Elsewhere”. Needless to say though, my mind was really somewhere else.

I showed up to the backstage entrance area early just to make sure there was no room for error. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. When it came time for the group of dancers to go back into the dressing room I was ready to go. It was not even one minute backstage when we bump into the band Cat Power. They looked pretty glammed up and super sexy all dresssed up in black clothing and with cigarettes hanging from their mouths. At that moment where I was standing I had the best view of Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse performing “Crazy”. This was such a rock star moment, I couldn’t have been but ten feet away!

As we squeezed into the costume area and were given instructions on our jobs, Wayne and the rest of The Lips strolled by and thanked us for our help. There were 15 people that were assigned the task of alien dancers. Then there were 15 people assigned Santa Clause dancers. And lastly there was a super inflatable dancing alien and me, the super inflatable Santa. Not only did I get to get on stage, but I got to be a big puffy dancing Santa with a prime location next to Wayne Coyne! As soon as the lights went down I was told to stand by the spaceship in the front of the stage and wait.

When the band came on I was instructed to wait for 4 songs before I was to be suited up in the gigantic costume. When Wayne was introduced he came onto the stage by being inflated into a human hamster ball on top of the spaceship which had a ramp that lead to the crowd. At that point I was only six feet away from the base of the spaceship. For the first part of the show I was just jumping in the background watching the confetti fly and my friends freak out. It was great to be able to dance around to the bands cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody” with my regular street clothes on, I was a dancing fool!

After the midnight countdown had begun I was suited up with a huge fan strapped to a backpack with a tube attached to the heavy deflated Santa costume. I put my feet into the Velcro strapped boots and was zipped up. In five minutes I was completely inflated into a 10 foot tall Santa. I slowly walked towards the front of the stage and could see right through my Santa suit. I could tell no one could see me through the front, but I still had a wide view of the band which was less than 5 feet away from me, and I had a clear view of my friends in the audience.

I did every kind of dance a 10 feet tall, 4 feet wide inflatable plastic Santa could do; the robot, I vogued and did the snake…well at least that is what I felt it looked like. It was a big suit and I was dripping with sweat. But to be so close to the band and see the ocean of faces waving at me and the other dancers was a crazy ass feeling. This was a dream, coming true. Thank god I decided to be sober and just act like a fool and go with the whole thing.

As soon as the guys floated off on their space ship I was ready to get stripped and meet the band. Within a minute or two I was face to face with Wayne and gave him a huge hug. With my voice shaking and tears in my eyes I told him his music had been so important to me and that this was a dream come true. He was humble and thanked me for helping in the show. He looked so dapper in his suit, I was in shock. The back stage area was littered with roadies, alien dancers, Gnarls Barkley fans with champagne and drunk Santa’s. It was like a crazy dream with a cast of insane characters. I was glad to be a part of the action and meet my rock gods.

Here is a group of pictures that were taken by my good friend of the whole night. The first set are of Gnarls Barkley and then they progress to the when The Flaming Lips came out and I made my stage debut. Look for me to the right of the stage, I am dressed as a huge, puffy inflatable Santa with the stoner eyes. Yes, that is really me and I have the friends who can prove it (for all you wise asses out there!). Also on this blog page is video footage of the show and some shots of me too: