The Flaming Lips Perform Live With Band And Audience Inside Giant Bubbles

Veteran indie band The Flaming Lips performed their hit 'Race for the Prize' before a live audience on last night's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

So how did they manage to perform in the same room as an audience while maintaining social distancing? Easy - the band and the crowd were all inside giant inflatable bubbles, leaving people wondering whether this could be the future for gigs. Watch below:

The band are no strangers to inflatable bubbles - frontman Wayne Coyne has made his way to the stage inside his signature 'performance bubbles' since 2004, often rolling it out to be carried by the crowds. However, this is the first time his bandmates and audience have also worn them.

It looks like everyone had a great time, which inevitably led many to wonder whether this is the future for live performances given the social distancing guidelines that are in place in many parts of the world.

One safety-conscious viewer wrote: "This is the way we need to do all of our concerts and outdoor parties .... @coachella should think about doing this for 2021 would be better for 2020 but you need to pick a safe time of year or people could overheat in them or add ice fans."

Another commented: "This should be a thing. Everyone gets their own hamster ball," before adding: "I have to teach preschool in the fall & 3 yr olds refuse to social distance. Hamster balls for education!"

Some were less eager to get into an inflatable bubble, however, with one person saying: "Well, I certainly hope this Flaming Lips performance on Colbert isn't the future of live concerts."

But another fan suggested that the band's longtime gimmick may have been a prediction for the future, writing: "The Flaming Lips have been trying to prepare us for this moment in history all along."

One of the band's other fans wrote: "The Flaming Lips have the uncanny ability to make everything just seem like it's gonna be ok!"

Last month the band surprised fans with a new single entitled 'Flowers of Neptune 6', which features vocals from country singer Kacey Musgraves. This, along with a new picture on Facebook where all the members are wearing face masks, has got people wondering whether a new album is on the horizon.