ATP Day Three: Boredoms Drum to the Nines, Flaming Lips Are Big Ballers

Posted on Sep 14th 2009 3:14PM by Spinner Staff
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The bedraggled and partied-out Day Three attendees at All Tomorrow's Parties New York lined up at the crack of noon for the Critereon screening of the Flaming Lips film 'Christmas on Mars' -- hoping to be buoyed by the film's arty enthusiasm or by a glimpse of Wayne Coyne himself and a chance to be immortalized themselves by the Lips frontman's 3-D camera.

For the late risers at Kutsher's Country Club and Resort in Monticello, N.Y., Boredoms were the first stop of the day. The eccentric Japanoise collective delivered a performance that perched on the edge of bedlam without ever toppling over. Nine drummers, including Flaming Lips muse Yoshimi P-We, surrounded singer Yamantaka Eye as he bashed the necks of a rack of guitars with a long staff, shrieking and yelping like a witch doctor on a particularly demanding house call. Dozens of cymbals crashed together and arrhythmic moments that seemed like mistakes kept leading this vital and effecting hour-plus performance in newer and more exciting directions until roadies bounded onstage and began taking apart drum kits -- while the drummers were still bashing away on them.

The Catskill Mountains sun peered out over the lake behind Kutcher's, and mobs of fresh-faced day trippers mingled with weary ATP weekend veterans on plastic lawn chairs dipping in and out of sets by Caribou and Birds of Avalon. As darkness fell, Super Furry Animals hit the main stage bearing signs that exclaimed "Applause!," "Whoa!" and "Outstanding!" Crystal Castles followed on the main stage as Boris took over the second stage to perform the album 'Feedbacker' in its entirety. In a festival highlight, Bob Mould joined No Age to perform an outrageously riotous rendition of Hüsker Dü songs that nearly drove the exhausted mob into a mosh pit. Nearly.

For the finale, all other activities ground to a halt for the Flaming Lips back on the main stage. While the stage was being set, mysteries were solved, such as the identities of the strange figures who had been wandering the premises in fluorescent orange jumpsuits -- they were Flaming Lips roadies. The audience received laser pointers, which they used to created firefly-like glows in lighting fixtures and in beer cups held aloft while the Lips emerged from a video-screen woman and Coyne's signature giant bubble was being inflated.

After surfing the crowd gleefully while inside his hamster ball, Coyne took to the mic to expound on his role as ATP festival curator. "This has to be the finest lineup of underground music that's ever been assembled," he told the crowd. Coyne went on to say he was moved to close out the festival before launching into fan favorites like 'A Race for the Prize" and 'The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song.' Confetti rained down, animals danced, balloons flew and joy radiated out of the last moments of ATP as the Flaming Lips closed the night with 'Do You Realize' and a final giddy go at 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow.'