Flaming Lips' zaniness, zorbing and great tunes

I was at an amazing gig at The Academy on Sunday, where The Flaming Lips provided an evening of intense music aided by zany props. 

Giant balloons, a toadstool and unicorn may have added a touch of childlike wonderment, but from the opening tones of Race For The Prize from The Soft Bulletin and into Yoshimi it was all about the music - despite the zorbing of Wayne Coyne during Bowie's Space Oddity, above and here.