Can't watch the vid at work, but I really appreciate the post. For a few reasons (among them Psychfest being cancelled this year), it's likely to be a while until I get to see shows again (maybe Temples this Sunday .... maybe ....).
I hear you on the Lips and energy -- when I've seen them in recent years I've felt "OK, that's nice, but ..." This is pure old-fart-syndrome, but 'you shoulda seen 'em when ... '
They were legit great, esp. around the time of Hit To Death. Those songs were more up-tempo, and lent themselves to a raucous club atmosphere/live setting really, really well. "Pyschiatric Explorations," "Halloween On The Barbary Coast," "Hit Me Like The First Time" .... I brought people to those shows as a sort of religious sharing. I have a friend who is a long time successful indie artist who still occasionally smiles at me and says "thanks for taking me to that Lips show." That show was in 1993, the Christmas Lights era. I have my issues, and music has always been the one reliable pyschoactive medication for me - I recall Lips shows in the 90's refilling my tank for months at a time. They were make-you-weep glorious.
Perhaps predictably, "Soft Bulletin" lost me. I wasn't wanting soft from them, even though I appreciated what a good album it was. It's like when the Talking Heads went from Speaking In Tongues to Little Creatures. Nothing wrong with the latter, but geez, I missed the former.
I still miss the Flaming Lips that made Transmissions From the Satellite Heart.