Carnival time and Flaming Lips

This time ten years ago I was writing up my dissertation for an MA in Folklore and Cultural Tradition. My chosen subject was carnival and I described and analysed my local carnival tradition in Bakewell in a study entitled Good Deeds and Bad Behaviour. As carnival season in Derbyshire approaches I am reminded of the background reading as well as the observation and participant involvement that went into my final piece of work. The topsy turvey aspects of carnival traditions mean that roles are reversed and truth can be spoken in jest. It's also a liminal experience, a space and time between our everyday worlds, where anything can happen. Men dress as women, women dress as fairies, children dress as aliens and anyone can take on an animal disguise. There are grotesque figures, giants, and cartoon characters from popular culture. On Tuesady night I went to see Flaming Lips, in all their glory, with their spectacular stage show featuring giant inflatable aliens, suns, stars and caterpillars with butterfly wings. There were women dressed as face painted fairies and men dressed as furry animals. Wayne Coyne was resplendent in a Lycra body suit that looked like exposed muscle,with no protective layer of skin, but accessorised with tinsel strands in strategic places. I had a strange desire to be an academic again, to have the opportunity to analyse and describe Flaming Lips and their stage shows through the eyes of a folklorist, discussing their approach to the carnivalesque, incorporating Mikhail Bakhtin's notion of carnival as grotesque realism. But I will content myself with sharing these thoughts on this blog post. If anyone knows of any academic approaches to Flaming Lips and their work,please send me some links. In the meantime, here's a link to Mels's fantastic images on Louder Than War. http://louderthanwar.com/flaming-lips-manchester-apollo-live-review/