Live Review: Flying Lotus brought his 3-D visual feast to MTelus

Flying Lotus with Seven Davis Jr. and PBDY
M Telus
November 9th, 2017

Musical innovations are often a hit or miss. Performers willing to embrace new technologies can risk alienating their fans if it appears to be an obvious gimmick. Thus, when you’re handed 3-D glasses upon walking into the venue for a concert, you can’t help but wonder exactly what you’re in for that night.

The LA-born electronic and hip-hop producer Steven Ellison (aka Flying Lotus) comes from a talented musical family. His great-aunt was not only a jazz pianist, she was Alice Coltrane, the wife of jazz legend and saxophonist John Coltrane.

Standing behind a rock-like glowing DJ booth in front of a big screen generating dizzying 3D shapes matching the beat of the music and epilepsy-inducing lights, the show itself was an all-out visual and aural experience on the senses, complete with features by FlyLo’s fellow musician Thundercat and a surprise appearance by his rap alter-ego Captain Murphy.

An experimental artist with such boundless creativity was always meant to be merged with a 3-D experience. The visual technology has finally caught up to the musical innovator.