Better a few days late than never, The 52nd edition of the Jay Porks Never Ending Concert Series takes us back to the PNC Bank Arts Center in Homdel, NJ-the very same place we were 7 days ago, only tonight we're here for The Flaming Lips & Weezer to put on a set in which they are sharing the bill. By sharing the bill, I mean I read that both bands will be setting their gear up on stage at the same time and each band will take turns playing a handful of songs. Read a quote that Rivers Cuomo asked Wayne Coyne if he has an extra bubble he can ride around in. Now this is something different. It refreshing to see bands trying new things, I wonder who's going to encore? Will they play songs together? This has the makings for an eventful few hours. Having said that-lets not count our chickens before they hatch, doors open at 7:30PM and Yeasayer are the first openers. Planning an earlier arrival than last week, which means two things: Not gonna miss any of the sets we planned to see and two, most time to get wasted. And I tend to let the criticism fly more loosely when intoxicated, and I have a feeling these New Jersey folk are gonna get to me tonight after last week.. We shall see....
We pulled into the parking lot around 6, not pulling any punches today-lets not miss anything in case they decide to go on early....We parked in a lot that wasn't miles away from the venue, so we were able to camp out til about 8 or so, when we headed in right after Yeasayer had finished. Grabbed our lawn spot (rented chairs for $5 a pop, why stand all night?). I notice the stage is already being set up, and its not far past 8...
Wayne Coyne comes out, and explains to the crowd how this is the first time they've done a show like this.. he tells us “Rivers needs you guys to help him out with the bubble when he gets in it”.. and Wayne also mentioned that “if our strobe lights are little too intense for anyone-then just don't look at them. Simple solution”... then he said they'd be back as he ducked off stage for a little while....
So around 8:30-8:45 we have The Flaming Lips intro, where they come out of the big screen and walk down the ramp as two bubble inflate with Wayne Coyne in one and Rivers Cuomo in the other one. Smoke filling the stage, graphics hitting the screen. This is cool. Wayne and Rivers take to the crowd in their bubbles, as both bands on stage play a cover of Black Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf", which was an awesome start considering I'm hanging with a girl who's primarily death metal and dragged to the Weezer show. Didn't take Rivers long to fall down and have to be rolled back towards the stage by the crowd he's rolling on.. then he busted out of if and The Flaming Lips jumped in three songs Worm Mountain , Silver Trembling Hands and Yeah Yeah Yeah Song... - At one point Wayne sat on a gorilla's shoulders … they do those three songs and he says “Alright we'll be back-Weezer everybody!”
Weezer comes out and kicks things off with “Hashpipe”, “El Scorcho” and “Perfect Situation”.. Whoa, what is this did Weezer finally get the memo to start playing their good songs live? Awesome. Girl I'm with turns to me and says “Oh I know this song from the Deftones” during “El Scorcho”.. I said “Really?” and returning home upon YouTube search, the Deftones do cover it... sweet. After Perfect Situation, they head off for the Flaming Lips to come back on..
Out comes Wayne and Co. again, this time to rock it out harder with “Is David Bowie Dying?”, “See the Leaves” and then we got into a little Laser Hands Jam, where the Gigantic hands come on.. lights bouncing off the disco ball thing into the lawn.. damn I wish I had a good enough camera to tape that shit.. And the Flaming Lips also have a whole bunch of chicks in outfits resembling Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz bouncing up and down.. awesomeness
So back out comes Weezer, and they play “My Name is Jonas”, “Suzanne” and one of my personal favs of the Weezer catalog “The Good Life”... Again, I'm still amazed at the fact that Weezer is playing good songs-this is like the set I've always wanted to see when I saw Weezer headline a show.. now for 25 bucks I'm on a lawn chair enjoying all those hits I thought I'd enjoy on days I spent 50+ dollars to see them. So far this was a great investment.
Now back to the Flaming Lips, as we seem to be grooving to 3 songs a clip before switching... As if this night couldn't improve, it's “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Part 1” time. Yes! Love that freaking song, and the half filled PNC Bank Arts Center loved it too.. can't believe more people weren't at this show.. “Ego's Last Stand” and “Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung” followed... as we shift back to the Weezer.
Island in the Sun.. it's becoming redundant.. can't believe I'm at the one good Weezer set to come to the tri state area... “You Gave Your Love to Me Softly” (B-Side from 'El Scorcho') followed. Then Rivers says “ Here's a song we used to listen to when we were growing up, then jumps into a cover Radiohead's Paranoid Android.. I didn't like it when I first heard it watching the vid on YouTube but experiencing it live actually made it quite enjoyable.. one of the more listenable Radiohead songs of the past decade of so.. and apparently the 14 year old kids that surround us everywhere are loving the Radiohead. I'm on board..
Then the Flaming Lips came out for “What is the Light?” and "The Observer".. I noticed Wayne has had a cool looking fur scarf on for the duration of the show.. Is he not the man?
back out for 'Pork and Beans', 'Tired of Sex', and 'Say it ain't so'.. So I guess Weezer is closing out this show-especially afterward when they played “(If your wondering if I want you to) I want you to”. They were trading off three for three, now Flaming Lips did two and Weezer did four?
So then the Flaming Lips come back out for “Do You Realize”...with full confetti and lights going I said to myself: Okay, so the Flaming Lips are closing this show...
That's when Weezer came back out (stop confusing me guys!) for “Buddy Holly” and “Only In Dreams”.. which was making me think we've witnessed a Flaming Lips set minus “She Don't Use Jelly”.. but Weezer stayed on stage as the Flaming Lips came back on to play it with them-Weezer and The Flaming Lips doing “She Don't Use Jelly” with Rivers singing lyrics on the 2nd and 3rd verses. Awesomeness. And then “Undone- The Sweater Song” with both bands remaining on stage was a perfect end to a very
cool evening. The Jay Porks Pre-Flight extravaganza
. Perfect send off to Washington! The Gorge Saturday: Soundgarden, Meat Puppets, Queens of the Stone Age and Mastodon.. the Willie Nelson on Sunday.. let the insanity begin!
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