The hubbs and I rang in the New Year like this, which pretty much beats most other new year celebrations around the planet.
We were in Oklahoma City to see hometown heroes the Flaming Lips' annual New Year's Freakout, following Christmas with family in Texas. For this edition, the band performed a short set of their own material and then, after midnight's (allegedly record-setting) balloon drop pictured above, they covered the Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon.
The concert was amazing. The enthusiasm of the crowd was a big part of it, with many in costume as animals, skeletons, and Santas. So much was happening visually--confetti cannons, balloons bouncing all over the crowd, light effects, lasers, flashing green light necklaces around everyone's necks--that I forgot to listen to the music half the time. In fact, so much was happening visually that I came within a hair of fainting again, like the last time I saw the band play. I had to sit for a while, feeling as muddy-headed as if someone just woke me from a deep sleep, only holding on to consciousness through sheer will. In fact, I don't think I should attempt to stand in the crowd at one of their shows again, and need to have this condition looked into one fancy day when I have health coverage again. (Maybe in 2010?)
Darling husband got me a much-needed new camera for Christmas, and I'm extremely pleased with the photos I was able to take at the show. Normally most photos I take at performances come out blurry. Not so now! Now I'm even more excited for the small-venue Willie Nelson performance in Baton Rouge next week. Oh, the facial crags I shall capture!
Below, Wayne Coyne and his giant prosthetic hands, shooting beams up to the world's largest disco ball (which is seen in the photo above).
After appearing in the crowd for this giant-hand segment, Wayne and some helpers came through the crowd to the stage, and he paused for a moment directly next to me. Being someone who always misses everything, I had no idea it was one of my favorite frontmen, just thought it was jerks aggressively pushing through the crowd to the front.
Wayne had the audience set our cell phone alarms for 12:55 am before they began performing the album, so we could all contribute to the alarm clock part.
Check out Wayne in this next shot!
This side view of colored lights beaming into the arena reminiscent of the album cover of the hour, no?
The end of the show, which we took in from the rear of the arena, looked like this: beautiful.
On New Year's Day, we took a brief tour of the Bricktown area of Oklahoma City, a revitalized warehouse district of clubs, shops, and restaurants. Neither of us had been to the state before, which especially in the hubbs' case is really unusual.
After washing down sub-par food with good beer at the brewery, we stumbled upon Flaming Lips Alley.
We discovered that OK City plays up their most famous current rock export, even selling their merch in city souvenir shops.
I learned that the Lips aren't Oklahoma's only musical contribution. They also have living rockabilly legend Wanda Jackson.
And, according to a museum we passed en route to the city, Oklahoma also claims Gene Autry, the singing cowboy. Neither that museum, nor many of OK City's other attractions (war memorials, cowboy stuff, a banjo museum!?) sounded interesting to me. And if even I can't generate enthusiasm for (in the case of Autry) exhibits about oldey-tyme pop culture, there might not be much of a still-living audience for it. But maybe? Maybe there's not much else going on.
But one other thing going on in Bricktown, OK City, is Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill!, which by the way exists.
There, patriots can eat a fried bologna sandwich with Freedom Fries. (Of course they can.)
Speaking of goings-on in Bricktown, the neighborhood boasts a 7-clubs-in-1 club. Here's their dress code:
I am all for encouraging people to not dress like complete slobs who just rolled out of bed, but must say I don't get some of these banned looks, namely the bizarre hair color and excessive tattoos. I suppose the goal is that everyone should look mainstream and wholesome?
I can't avoid the word "wholesome" when describing tidy Oklahoma City. It was like a mix of the Midwest and Texas. Perusing the photos in the local publications, everyone looked wholesome: even the slutty Santa-ettes, even the guy with the neck tattoo was a babyface.
From what we saw in less than 24 hours, Oklahoma seemed to mostly look like this.
Bottom-line impression from our brief visit: Cowboys and meat.
Happy new year, everybody. Let's really get it together this year!
Poor old Coop...
Having spent pieces of my life about 90 miles south of OKC learning to shoot things that go boom when they get to their destination, Oklahoma is NOT one of my favorite places. That being said, looks like they've come a long way since my last visit there.
Posted by: vl100butch | January 04, 2010 at 12:35 PM
with the risk of offending any loyal readers, i have to say that i could die tomorrow and be o.k. with the fact that i've never seen OK. except i could weep with jealousy about the concert. one day wayne will stop denying he's my boyfriend.
Posted by: stpauligrl | January 04, 2010 at 03:06 PM
omg those smooshy faces! I want to snuggle them up. Puppies!!!1!!
Posted by: faith | January 04, 2010 at 07:14 PM
Big Autry fan here. And Wanda Jackson. Maybe I need to make a pilgrimage! I could be the customer they've been waiting for!
Posted by: Alicia | January 05, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Those pics from the concert are amazing. What kind of camera did you get? And I love the photo of the doggies!!!
Posted by: Julie | January 05, 2010 at 10:57 AM
ha ha! HIPPIE!
jk - glad you had so much fun at the show. Now the Willie thing - that makes me jealous. I would love to see ole Willie. And I love Wanda Jackson and like Gene Autry; he was the singing cowboy, ya know. Although I'm not sure it's worth a trip to OK. I've been there and the flatness just brings me down for some reason.
Oh, and as someone who could possibly be accused of having "excessive tattoos" - I think that part of the dress code (as well as others) is to discourage thugs/gang members. They have a lot of gang trouble out there.
Posted by: Elizabeth | January 05, 2010 at 01:50 PM
That show looked like sensory overload and possible alien upduction reenactment. Just been to Tulsa, OK during my cross-country. Nothing memorable except the 6 cokes I drank to get from Denver to Tulsa and the stinky hotel room we stayed in.
Posted by: Kartek | January 06, 2010 at 11:46 AM
Man, not much love for OK here. I can't say I disagree, and Alicia, I wouldn't recommend the journey b/c you should visit us in NY instead.
Julie- Thanks-- the camera is the new improved version of my previous two digital cameras, a Sony Cybershot.
E- I saw another set of club dress guidelines like that (in Waco) that seemed directed right at African Americans. I wonder if they consider unnatural blondness "bizarre hair color", as I bet a lot of that is let inside that place.
Posted by: Colleen Kane | January 06, 2010 at 02:13 PM
Hmm, I wonder if unnatural blondeness IS a bizarre hair color. It'd be pretty funny if someone was turned away because of it.
Those type of dress codes are actually all over the country, up here too (including, notoriously, Jay Z's club). It has been argued that they're directed at a certain race or races (blacks, hispanics) but on the other hand, the club owners (often minorities themselves) argue that the codes are just to try to weed out thugs of any color, and thus avoid trouble in the club. Is it discriminatory to deny someone entrance because he's wearing say, a hoody and workboots? I don't know, honestly. But many places have dress codes, including requiring a jacket and tie for men at certain restaurants. Of course not everyone who dresses a certain way is a thug, but, most thugs do dress in a rather cliched manner.
Posted by: Elizabeth | January 07, 2010 at 11:19 AM
Happy 2010! What a celebration!! So happy for you guys! The photos of the balloons & the puppies are GREAT!
If I dye my hair wacky again I couldn't go into the 7in1 club? Boo!!! :( Love the shout out to no overly baggy jeans. Hahaha! :)
Posted by: suntawrites | January 10, 2010 at 05:49 PM
Oklahoma is kind of bland from the outside looking in, but I am a British expat who lived there for about 5 years and attended university there (I now live in Boston) and I can tell you that when you get beneath the kitchy tourism crap, Oklahoma is an outstanding state. I promise! Glad to find your blog - got to you via Tracie Egan's blog. - Limey
Posted by: Limey | January 16, 2010 at 08:41 AM