It was indeed a "blood bath" at the Santa
Barbara Bowl, as Tame Impala and the Flaming Lips put on a show that people are
likely to never forget. The show was not just jam-packed with incredible music,
but was a full body experience. With a giant visualizer set up, confetti, balloons,
and someone from the Bowl dressed up as Miley Cyrus pouring fake blood all over
Wayne Coyne, the show was full of surprises, good vibes and even better
effects. First to take the stage was Australia's Tame Impala, arguably one of
the best psychedelic rock bands around at the moment. With a vintage sound, seductive acid-trip vocals and guitar riffs, numbers like "Mind
Mischief" and "Desire Be Desire Go" came to life as the visuals
on screen behind them lit up with complimentary images. Kevin Parker, Tame
Impala's front man, has a voice that is reminiscent of John Lennon with a
sultry twang. Tame Impala is bringing psychedelia to this generation, with
music that has a 60's groovy feel yet is also very current and rich in layers,
having an almost dream-like effect on the listener. The complexity in the
rhythms and the echo-like sounds of the guitar and drums give Tame
Impala's music a different dimension- yes its psychedelic, but it also picks at
other genres like blues and rock, creating a sublime listening experience. Tame
Impala surprised the crowd by doing a rendition of Michael Jackson's Thriller,
as well as changing up tempos in many of their songs as the visuals changed.
It's that old-school sound that runs a thread through their various albums
which have gotten more intense and developed as "Innerspeaker" to
"Lonerism" show the full range of Tame Impala's talent. Parker's minimalist approach of using vintage
recording gear has created a refreshingly new take on psychedelic rock, as he
blends different elements to create a transcendent feel. Tame Impala joins the
ranks of much established psychedelic bands like The Black Angels and The Brian
Jonestown Massacre, as they are taking the road less traveled and making what
was once classic cool again. Tame Impala is providing the soundtrack for the
new generation of drug-fueled, bell-bottomed degenerates and is bringing back a former generation in the most refreshing way. Following Tame Impala's mind
bending experience was The Flaming Lips, with the very talented and
entertaining Wayne Coyne performing classics like "Do You Realize" in
a wedding dress as he performed drenched in fake blood. The music, the visuals,
the confetti, and the balloons made this concert at the Bowl one of the most
spectacular events and was the perfect ending to a phenomenal season. The
concert made me feel like I was being filled with champagne bubbles and was
about to burst open from happiness; it’s one I’ll never forget and through all
the shows I've been privileged to see, it may be one of the best (and coolest)
performances I have ever been to
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