STAFF WRITER

Following the release of their masterful second LP Lonerism in October 2012, Australian rockers Tame Impala have been steadily building a massive fan base, with numerous festival appearances and their second worldwide tour. With all their recent success, including a major advertisement deal with Blackberry, fans must wonder why Tame Impala has decided to co-headline a tour with the psychedelic indie legends The Flaming Lips.

Tame Impala and The Flaming Lips have always had a connection through famed producer Dave Fridmann. From 1990 onwards, Fridmann has produced all but one of The Flaming Lips’ releases. This distinction earned him the trust of Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker. Parker, who typically prefers to produce and mix his own albums, invited Fridmann into the studio based off his work with The Flaming Lips. The collaboration has led to a close friendship between the two bands, including an upcoming four song EP in which each band covers two songs off the others’ discography, and an ear-shattering, trance-inducing, mind-blowing night of music.

The night opened with music royalty as Sean Lennon’s new band, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, rocked the stage. A nice blend of psychedelic and progressive rock, Lennon’s band jammed out a tight and exciting set that was made all the better by Lennon’s captivating stage presence. Through both their original songs, and their cover of Pink Floyd’s Syd Barret, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger set the stage perfectly for the headlining acts.

With their groovy and psychedelic projection screen in the background, Tame Impala took the stage at 9 p.m., and hurtled immediately into their sonic and expansive jams. Whether it was the thumping drum solo of “Apocalypse Dreams”, or the slick guitar riff of crowd-favorite “Half Full Glass of Wine,” Tame Impala showcased why they have gained such critical acclaim in recent years. Although Kevin Parker’s vocals were too low for their synth-laden, kaleidoscopic melodies, Tame Impala managed a crowd-pleasing 75 minute set that preceded the show’s main event.                          After nearly an hour-long intermission, during which crew members, who were dressed in white lab coats, assembled The Flaming Lips’ elaborate set pieces, the band came on stage around 11 p.m. Opening with “Look… The Sun Is Rising,” from this year’s release The Terror, The Flaming Lips’ sensory assault began. With the most elaborate and abstract light show I have seen, in which a giant projector screen with rope lights attached to that wrapped around the whole stage, ascending to lead singer Wayne Coyne’s sterling silver mic perch, The Flaming Lips tore through their vibrant and ecstatic eleven-song set. As Coyne showered the front rows with glitter, enormous amounts of confetti burst off the stage, filling the venue and hypnotizing the audience. As they closed with their biggest hit “Do You Realize??”, I found myself enraptured in the spellbinding production of The Flaming Lips’ set. Unlike anything I have ever seen, The Flaming Lips’ ornate set production, and mind-expanding music managed to transport it’s audience to a galaxy far, far away.