It's not all fun and games in the space bubble. Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne admitted to a few jitters before descending onto the concrete at San Diego's Street Scene. "Even though people think I just descend from space and do it, you really have to work out the logistics," said Coyne. "It's kind of like Evel Knievel planning the jump." The Lips' signature space-bubble entrance was only the first of the band's daredevil moves at Street Scene: The Lips went on to perform cover of Queen's sacred "Bohemian Rhapsody." With their lush, genre-bending sound, the two bands have something in common -- although the late Freddie Mercury wouldn't have been caught wearing that bear suit . . .
While Coyne was maybe a little too geared up for Street Scene -- "By the time the sun goes down, it's going to be a perfect night to take acid, have sex, all the things summertime's about!" he said -- fellow Scenesters Death Cab for Cutie were already pondering their next festival, Japan's Summer Sonic. "On the day that we're playing, so is Public Enemy. That will be great," said bassist Nick Harmer, proving the indie rockers aren't as sensitive as all that. "And there's this Japanese super-pop band called Puffy Ami Yumi that's just as sweet as candy!" OK, so they're pretty sensitive . . .
Also making the scene in San Diego were Garbage, who just began the second leg of their tour in support of their latest album, Bleed Like Me. Since the record is so packed with vitriol -- on the track "Why Do You Love Me," frontwoman Shirley Manson sings, "I've held back a wealth of shit/I think I'm gonna choke!" -- Up in It asked Manson to name the world's greatest breakup song. "'Revenge' by Patti Smith," she said. "That's a great kiss-off song." Though it's unclear who would ever consider breaking up with Shirley . . .
Back in L.A., Metal Skool (as namechecked here last week) continues to rawk at the band's new home, the Key Club. This past Monday, the Eighties cover act was joined by members of the Scorpions for "Rock You Like a Hurricane," and Jani Lane of Warrant belted out "Cherry Pie" for an audience that included Kiss' Gene Simmons. Paging The Surreal Life . . .
And way over on that other coast, many music lovers found themselves asking the question, What do the Backstreet Boys, REO Speedwagon and Maroon 5 have in common? All three played the Borgata in Atlantic City this weekend. Post-show, the Backstreet crew found time for the late-night scene at the hotel bar Mixx, and for some gambling with Maroon 5. Meanwhile, Duran Duran, who played a nearby casino, elected to stay at the Borgata. Still-dreamy-after-all-this-time frontman Simon LeBon was seen enjoying himself in one of Mixx's VIP rooms -- one imagines with a bevy of girls straight out of that "Rio" video . . .
