It was a circus at Coach's in Moorhead last Sunday - complete with a big top tent, music, livestock pens and a clown named Brynn Arens as ringmaster. Arens, frontman for Minneapolis rockers Flipp, looked and played the part well. Dressed in his usual pinstriped red suit, he led a set full of songs from the bands second major label release, "Volume".

Coach's annual Back to School Bash boasted five bands and had attracted several thousand college students by the time Flipp took the stage late in the evening. Unfortunately, Coach's doesn't seem to know how to hold a party because the crowd was fenced in by livestock pens, keeping fans a good twenty feet from the stage.

Flipp, a band infamous for causing trouble, almost incited a melee when Arens invited the crowd to move up to the stage. Following his advice, several dozen people advanced around the fences, only to be physically pushed back by overzealous police and security. After several tense moments the crowd relented and moved back to where they were "supposed" to be. Arens, continuously yelling at police and security to chill out, reluctantly resumed the show.

But despite security's attempts to ruin the show, it went on. In fact, Flipp seemed intent on pushing it up a notch as they burst into the next song. The setlist mostly consisted of songs from "Volume", including the single "Freak" which is currently enjoying airplay around the country.

In addition to Arens's antics, fans were treated to an explosive "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" solo by bassist Freaky Useless complete with a jetpack which spat smoke and flame. Drummer Kilo Bale pounded out solid beats with his illuminated drumset and guitarist Chia Karaoke held up his claim of being the worst guitar player in the world.

Flipp worked the crowd well and showed why they are a prime example of a hard working rock band. Having enjoyed initial exposure on Hollywood Records with their self-titled debut album, the band was dropped by the label and struck out on their own. With a loyal following of fans known as Flippheads, the band continued onward, independently releasing "Blow it Out Your Ass" in 2000.

The band finally struck it big a second time when Everclear frontman Art Alexakis got ahold of one of Flipp's homemade music videos, and immediately invited them to open for his band Everclear. Following the summer 2001 tour, the band went into the studio and emerged with "Volume" which was released last month by Artemis Records.

Saturday night's show mostly featured tracks from the new album and shows why Flipp is in the spotlight again. Boasting a live show which cannot be beaten, the band closed their hour long set as only Flipp can - with a blizzard of feathers. After gleefully flinging ripped pillows at the crowd, the band took a bow and exited the big top, leaving fans looking like little kids after leaving the circus; plus more than a few damaged eardrums.

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