Originally Published May 1, 2025

Tom and Morgan Seabright of Detroit, MI travel to shows in search of new friends, and old songs.

The Observer: When did you first discover The Flaming Lips?

Tom Seabright: When I was in high school, a girl I was friends with online made me aware of the Steve Burns “Songs for Dustmites” album that Steven had played on. I had heard of the lips before that point through media appearances and such, and I liked that Steve Burns album a lot, so I had a small interest. Then a buddy of mine in high school asked if we could swap cds for a week (we often traded music). He let me borrow Yoshimi and Mystics and I was hooked.

O: When was the first time you saw them? Location and venue etc… and what was your first impressions?

TS: First show was May 13, 2011 at the Fillmore in Detroit, MI. I had been waiting a few years for them to come to town at that point and was beyond pumped. My face was melted by Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger as the opener. Took a bit too many substances at that show, I’ll admit, but I had also managed to get front row for my first one. Her first show was in March of 2018 at the Mill and Mine in Knoxville, TN. I dragged her to three shows the week of my birthday.

Q: What was it about the band that drew you in?

TS: They were just different from most stuff i was listening to at the time. I was a big metalcore kid but had a soft spot for other music. The Lips had a quirkiness that I had heard in very few bands up to that point.

All pictures courtesy Tom Seabright

O: What has the music and the group meant to you?

TS: Because of this band I’ve been able to meet all kinds of folks from around the world. I’ve met some of my best friends from going to Lips shows.

O: As a couple, how has seeing the band live meant for your relationship?

TS: Honestly, my wife isn’t much of a fan but I’ve still managed to drag her to 13 shows. She enjoys the traveling aspect and all the friends we’ve made by going to the shows over the years.

O: Do you have any special rituals or traditions when you travel to see the band? If so, what and why?

TS: I usually dress up as a King at shows and race my way to the barricade as soon as they open doors.

Q: What has been your best memory from seeing the band and why?

TS: Their show at Red Rocks in 2016 with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. That was the best the band has ever sounded, and being there with friends all week made it actually one of the best weeks of my life.

O: Do you have a favorite song, lyric or piece of music?

TS: The Gash where Wayne comes in, “will the fight for our sanity be the fight of our lives?” That line got me through some dark points in life, which I’m on the other side of these days.

O: Do you have a favorite album or period of the Lips’ history? If so, what and why?

TS: That 2011 era was something wild. They were putting stuff out every month, and while it varied in quality, it was also raw. The 6 hour and 24 hour songs feel like events you have to plan ahead of time.

O: What are you looking forward to the most when you see the band next?

TS: I’m hoping they play Riding to Work 2025. That’s one song that I’ve never heard them play in the 14 years of seeing them live.

O: Is there anything else you would like to add?

TS: If I had a nickel for every time I ran into a member of the Lips at a coffee shop, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened twice.

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