Flaming Lips hosts a social distance show

(Reuters) – American rock band The Flaming Lips have found a creative way to present live performances amid the COVID-19 pandemic – by putting themselves and their audiences in protective ‘space bubbles’.

The group performed two concerts over the weekend in Oklahoma, where members of the public danced while locked in plastic bubbles.

In pre-show messages, photographer and cameraman Nathan Poppe tweeted photos of the venue, claiming there were 100 bubbles, each capable of holding a maximum of three people.

The capsules were equipped with a speaker, a fan, a water bottle, a towel and a sign saying “I have to go to the toilet / It’s hot here” to show the flight attendants. , who escorted the revelers or filled the bubbles with fresh air.

Participants had to wear masks on the outside of their bubble, but could take them off inside, an instructional video shared by lead singer Wayne Coyne showed.

“I think we’re lucky enough that fans of The Flaming Lips are enjoying this… adventure a bit,” Coyne, who has long been known for bubble surfing, told the BBC.

“It’s not just another gig … you’re part of this thing and it’s never been done before …”

The group had put on a practice bubble show last year, when the global pandemic forced most concerts to be canceled or postponed.