The Fearless Freaks rock the ATL

When I found out The Flaming Lips were playing a free show in Centenial Olympic Park in Atlanta - I knew this was an opportunity to not be missed. The Lips are one of the most completely original (on record & live) bands working today (they've been around since the mid-80's - but it was more punk rock and they finally got some MTV action in the mid-90's with "she don't use jelly". Thier last three albums, The Soft Bulletin, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and At War With the Mystics are some of the most beautiful, magnificent, epic, fullfilling slices of sonic sweep that this writer has heard in years. I had never seen them though, so when I found out that they were playing for free (a booze company picked up the tab - it was a two festival with something like 20 bands) I knew I had to go see them. Also, and here is the bonus, a rare live gig from Big Star (with Alex Chilton) and they sounded awesome.