If there was ever any doubt that King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard operate in a universe entirely of their own making, Wednesday night at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion put those doubts to bed.
Following a mammoth two-hour set at Thirroul’s Anita’s, this was the first of two gigs the Melbourne six-piece would play that night, kicking off at the very respectable ‘matinee’ hour of 8:30pm before heading down the road for a second show at Liberty Hall. For most bands, that may sound absurd. For King Gizzard, it’s just another day in the Gizzverse.
A set for the ages (and genres)
The crowd reflected the band’s eclectic appeal. A sea of all ages filled the room, giving it a definite modern-day Dazed and Confused vibe. The audience lapped up every interaction. Calls of “Who’s coming to the other show tonight?” drew huge cheers, as did the enthusiastic cry of “yeah! Wednesday night pingers!!” The crowd was equally delighted when lead singer Stu Mackenzie revealed that the band had met Jimmy Barnes earlier that day.
On stage, the band wasted absolutely no time. Songs flowed into one another with barely a breath between them , with softer, obscure arthouse-style passages adding to the unpredictable atmosphere. One minute delivering “Antarctica” and “Sad Pilot” the kind of psychedelic rock that transports you straight to Haight-Ashbury, the metal assault of “Perihelion”, which wouldn’t sound out of place on a Swedish metal album, and the Lynch-esque unease of “Gliese 710”. Trying to pin down King Gizzard to a single genre feels like trying to nail jelly to a wall.
Energy for days
What makes King Gizzard special isn’t just their relentless creativity and energy, though there’s plenty of that. It’s the sense that no two nights or sets are ever quite the same. With a catalogue now stretching across an astonishing 28 albums (in only 16 years), every setlist feels pulled from a treasure chest of possibilities.
As the night rolled on, complete with thunderous jams, an epic drum solo and the crowd favourite “Gila Monster”, one thing became abundantly clear: King Gizzard aren’t simply keeping pace with modern touring expectations. They’re leaving everyone else in the dust.
King Gizzard were supported by Xiao Xiao, an experimental post-punk project from Sydney’s west.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Photos by Amy Halpin. You can see more of Amy’s photos from the night HERE
Set List
Robot Stop
Gamma Knife
People-Vultures
Mr. Beat
Sad Pilot
Gliese 710
Antarctica
Nuclear Fusion
Automation
Ataraxia
Gila Monster
Venusian 1
Perihelion
Her and I (Slow Jam 2)
Extinction
