Just one month after announcing their latest Aussie tour, The Flaming Lips have expanded their next trip down under, unveiling a special Brisbane show earlier today.
Back in 1999, fans were wondering what the future held for The Flaming Lips. Having hit the alternative mainstream with Transmissions From The Satellite Heart in 1993, while 1995’s Clouds Taste Metallic was something of a failure amongst critics, but beloved in fan circles.
Following 1997’s ambitious recording experiment Zaireeka, few thought The Flaming Lips had enough motivation to keep their guitar-heavy compositions chugging along. Instead, the group decided to undertake a complete change in direction, crafting the exquisite The Soft Bulletin.
Released in May of 1999, The Soft Bulletin was a critical phenomenon, going on to be considered one of the finest records of the year and decade, and even garnering a very rare 10/10 from Pitchfork.
As it turned out, this was the first step in an ongoing period of critical and commercial success for The Flaming Lips, turning these Oklahoma rockers into one of the finest bands on the scene.
Now, more than two decades later, The Flaming Lips are set to bring the album to Australia, announcing a tour last month which will see performing The Soft Bulletin in full during a run of tour dates later this year.
Check out The Flaming Lips’ ‘Do You Realize??’:
With the group already announcing dates at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne’s Hamer Hall, the alt-rock icons have now revealed their Aussie trek will kick off earlier than first planned, with a Brisbane show being unveiled today.
Yes, appearing at the Fortitude Music Hall on September 28th, Brisbane punters will be able to bear witness to the first Aussie shows since 2016 for the group, and watch them perform their classic record in full.
“These evenings are the kind of thing music programmers like me can usually only dream of,” Ben Marshall, Sydney Opera House’s Head of Contemporary Music, explained upon the tours initial announcement.
“Considered its era’s Pet Sounds, 20 years ago Oklahoma’s most fearless freaks The Flaming Lips created their masterpiece album, The Soft Bulletin, channeling all their potent sci-fi fetishism and weird psych-rock incandescence into a tightly focused, holistic concept record that was not only sonically brilliant but stunningly accessible and uplifting.”
Tickets to The Flaming Lips’ Brisbane show go on sale from 9am on Friday, July 12th, with a pre-sale kicking off the previous day.
Check out ‘Race For The Prize’ by The Flaming Lips:
The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin 20th anniversary tour
Saturday, September 28th (New Show)
Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD
Tickets: Secret Sounds
Monday, September 30th
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, NSW
Tickets: Sydney Opera House
Tuesday, October 1st
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, NSW
Tickets: Sydney Opera House
Thursday, October 3rd
Hamer Hall, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Melbourne International Arts Festival
Friday, October 4th
Hamer Hall, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Melbourne International Arts Festival
