September 9, 1988 |
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at the u-club |
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These photos of the Lips in concert may be the only ones existant that document this particular incarnation and time period
of the band. I offered to post these on the official Lips website however their web director Bluish refused to recognize my copyright
over the ownership and use of these images - therefore they appear here exclusively.
Interesting tidbits: In the first photo Michelle Vlasimsky can be seen standing in front of the stage taking a photo (perhaps she has a few
copies somewhere). She was at the time Wayne's girlfriend and manager of the band. On the night of this show the band is wearing their girlfriends'
dresses. For some reason it seems to me Wayne pulled it off better than the others. Some of the images appear darker than usual but that
is not due to underexposure. That is just the way they had themselves lighted. Some of the latter images appear overexposed but
that is due to the Lips' use of strobe lights - along with searchlights, fog, bubble machines and multicolored lenses. Quite a contrast to
the low budget approach of Defenestration. Also note that the crowd is sitting on the floor and the stage was less than waist-high.
We who were lucky enough to see these groups at such close quarters in such intimate venues knew we were witnessing some of the best live shows
ever and that it would never happen this way again. It probably spoiled everyone else as much as it did me. Seeing the Lips now, despite or maybe
because of their enormous fame seems only second best to the younger, hungrier, grungier Lips long before bubble walking and alleys donated in their
name - and long before all the "Johnny-Come-Latelys" who claimed to have been there. These bands were our own and there was a kind of esprit in being
in on the best kept secret around - that some of the greatest bands playing at the time were just down the street in the local legion hall, house party
or bar and could be seen for just a few bucks.
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