Sunday 20 August 2023

A Spectacle Of Cruel Finesse

In a post back in March, I shared various versions of the classic song Tequila, including one by Melbourne's finest psych rock combo, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. At the time, I commented
 
"A quick rummage in my music closet reveals I have the sum total of two King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard songs in my collection, a pretty poor showing considering that since they formed in 2010, the band have delivered 23 studio albums, 3 compilations, 1 remix album and, with the release of Live At Red Rocks '22 in January, a current tally of 15 live albums. Where to start?!"
 
I found the prospect of the 86-song Live At Red Rocks '22 collection a little daunting, if I'm honest. Instead, I popped over to the Internet Archive and found their Red Rocks sets from 8th June 2023.
 
Yes, sets. The band played a total of three concerts at Red Rocks on 7th and 8th June, with an early and late show on the second date. Not only that, but completely different setlists for each one.
 
For today's post, I've plumped for the early show on 8th June, not least because the set is also available on YouTube. It looks like the poster has copied the original live stream, so how long it will remain is debatable but an alternative version of the same show is available here, filmed by an audience member. A bit more static but the back screen lightshow will melt your brain, if the music doesn't do it first.
 
Given the sheer number of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard albums out there, I suspect that I will never be more than a casual acquaintance with their music but for synapse-frying rock, fizzing with energy, loaded preposterous lyrics and with songs going on for what seems like days, they deliver and then some.
 
1) The Dripping Tap (17:12)
2) Crumbling Castle (7:44)
3) The Fourth Colour (6:01)
4) Self-Immolate (7:17)
5) Converge (6:26)
6) Witchcraft (5:35)
7) Satan Speeds Up (5:30)
8) Shanghai (10:39)
9) This Thing (6:46)
10) Most Of What I Like (6:14)
11) The Wheel (10:03)
12) Evil Death Roll (with Iron Lung tease) (12:14)
13) Magma (14:27)
 
Early show performed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado, 8th June 2023. 
 
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard on Bandcamp and the Internet Archive.

 

2 comments:

  1. Now you're hitting stuff from my backyard (Red Rocks is about 30 minutes from my home). My good friend went to all three nights at Red Rocks this year, and based on his overly enthusiastic review of the music I finally gave them a listen. All I knew before that was they were like an edgier version of Phish that released six or more full albums a year, each diving deeper into new sonic territory.

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    1. Thanks, Mooz. Yes, this definitely feels like the beginning of a long journey, if my cranium can cope!

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