USA/CANADA 2024: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Live at Fox Theatre
One of the most talked about indie bands since their unforgettable debut in 2010, Australia’s King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (KGLW) has solidified themselves in the indie rock world with many genre-bending albums over their remarkable albeit brief career. KGLW is a band most notable for their ambitious marathon shows while touring, the plethora of official live KGLW bootleg albums released, and their uncanny ability to release multiple albums within the same year. In 2023, KGLW released eleven (11) various albums to their eagerly, awaiting fans across the globe. When the band released their most ambitious album, The Silver Cord, fans were intrigued, and some were even opinionated with the electropop influence of this particular release. This is exactly why I love KGLW. To say that KGLW makes some innovative music is an understatement. KGLW brilliantly creates and shares with their fans some ground-breaking, music without any thought or care about what genre it may be categorized after release. KGLW is simply six good friends who have an amazing time making music together, and it just so happens that quite a few other people around the world also seem to enjoy listening to their music.
On November 7, 2023, KGLW made a huge touring announcement for 2024 with 58 new shows across Argentina, Chile, USA, Italy, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Austria, Netherlands, France, and the Czech Republic. The North American portion of tour dates, or the USA/Canada 2024 Tour, had a November 19th date where KGLW would make a tour stop at the historic Fox Theatre in downtown Atlanta. Like many Gizz fans, I purchased tickets ahead of time because I was not missing this opportunity to see KGLW play live again stateside. This evening would be my third time (Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival - 2022 & The Caverns @ Pelham, TN. – Amphitheater/Night three - 2023) watching KGLW perform and I knew that the aesthetics of the Fox Theatre would add to their already dynamic, live and rowdy performance. Opening for KGLW for this date in Atlanta is fellow Aussie indie rockers King Stingray hailing from Northeast Amhem Land.
KGLW is a psychedelic rock/garage rock/psychedelic rock/progressive rock/heavy metal/electro-pop/neo-psychedelia band based out of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. KGLW consists of Joey Walker (guitars/vocals/bass/keyboards/piano/setar/percussion), Stu Mackenzie (vocals/guitars/keyboards/flute/bass/percussion/sitar/piano/organ/violin/clarinet/saxophone/zum/drums), Ambrose Kenny-Smith (vocals/harmonicas/keyboards/percussion/piano/saxophone/guitar/organ), Lucas Harwood (bass/guitar/piano/keyboards/percussion/vocals), Michael “Cavs” Cavanagh (drums, percussion/vocals), and Cook Craig (guitar/bass/piano/keyboards/percussion/vocals). At the time of publication, KGLW has released a staggering twenty-six (26) LPs, three (3) EPs, thirty-nine (39) live albums, four (4) compilation albums, sixty-five (65) singles, sixty (60) videos, and one (1) remix album. This is quite an impressive feat for a band that released their first album, 12 Bar Bruise, on Flightless Records in 2012.
Their latest album, Flight b741, is the first album released on their new label p(doom) Records. KGLW announced on October 29th, 2024 that they would be releasing a new album (shocking I know) very soon. The album would have ten (10) songs that were leftovers from Flight b741 and would feature a full orchestra. Yes, you read correctly, with an orchestra. The new album (and new single) is titled Phantom Island, so Gizz heads all over the globe are enthusiastically waiting for a release date for this new album in 2025. In the meantime, KGLW has announced a USA tour featuring an orchestra to promote this new album. KGLW also hinted some rock shows will be added in the coming months to the Phantom Island 2025 Tour:
Australia’s own King Stingray is an indie/pop/surf rock band that has been active since 2020. King Stingray consists of Yirrna Yunupinu (vocals/clapsticks), Roy Kellaway (guitar/backing vocals), Dimathaya Burarrwanga (guitar/backing vocals/didgeridoo), Lewis Stiles (drums/backing vocals), Campbell Messer (bass/banjo/backing vocals), and Yimila Gurruwiwi (didgeridoo/backing vocals). King Stingray has released two (2) LPs, their latest release For the Dreams (11/8/2024) has garnered some rave reviews since its initial release.
Starting right on time at 8 pm, King Stingray took the stage, and the sold-out crowd was pumped screaming at the top of their lungs as the band got set up with their array of instruments. I am not going to lie, hearing the didgeridoo beautifully incorporated into an already chill vibe was a perfect accompaniment to start the evening. I was happy to hear “Through the Trees” and “Milkumana” performed live but closing out their set with “Malk Mirri Wayin” was icing on the cake. Those songs are some of my favorite tracks from King Stingray as I prepared for this evening to arrive. I hope King Stingray can come back stateside and tour soon because they are unquestionably a band I would enjoy seeing perform live again.
You can see King Stingray’s opening setlist from their Fox Theatre performance below:
· (Unknown)
(“Lorrpu” on the setlist)
· “Hey Wanhaka”
· “Light Up”
· “Through the Trees”
· “Milkumana”
· “Best Bits”
· “Malk Mirri Wayin”
Head over to Bandcamp and support King Stingray today!
The time had come for KGLW to take the stage at the Fox Theatre in front of an all-ages, sold-out crowd of Gizz fans ready to have their faces melted. While Stu and Joey spoke introductions to the crowd in attendance, I wondered who else in the Fox Theatre was pondering, ‘What song are they opening with tonight?’ The age-old question I will tell you. Well, KGLW kicked off their Fox Theatre debut with one of my favorite songs off their 2019 release Infest the Rats’ Nest, “Superbug”. KGLW followed up with another favorite song of mine, “Converge”, off their more recent 2023 release PetroDragonic Apocalypse. Seeing this sold-out crowd excitedly jumping up and down or dancing to the music was quite a refreshing sight to behold. So many happy and smiling faces were enjoying the fact that they were witnessing one of their favorite bands performing some of their favorite songs flawlessly.
Check out this wicked setlist from KGLW’s performance at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA:
· “Superbug”
· “Converge”
(>)
· “Witchcraft”
· “Planet B”
· “Hot Wax”
· “Her and I (Slow Jam 2)”
(with “Iron Lung” teases and quotes and “Crumbling Castle”, “Magma”, “Slow Jam 1”, and “Ice V” teases.)
· “Crumbling Castle”
(>)
· “The Fourth Color”
· “Flight b741”
· “Iron Lung” (Lava-style intro)
· “Sad Pilot”
(>)
· “Rats in the Sky”
· “Work This Time” (w/ guitar solo)
· “The Garden Goblin”
· “Intrasport”
(>)
· “Gilgamesh”
After this tour stop at the Fox Theatre, KGLW had two dates left on their USA/Canada 2024 Tour in St. Augustine, FL. (11/20) & Miami, FL. (11/21). No worries if you missed KGLW on the USA/Canada 2024 Tour. Check out the EURO/USA tour dates already announced for 2025 (including the highly anticipated full orchestra set shows) below:
Europe Residency Tour 2025 dates:
5/18-5/20 Lisbon, Portugal Coliseu Dos Records
5/23-5/24 Barcelona, Spain Poble Espanyol
5/29-31 Vilnius, Lithuania Lukiskes Prison 2.0
6/4-6/6 Athens, Greece Lycabettus Theatre
6/8-6/10 Plovdiv, Bulgaria Ancient Theatre
Phantom Island Tour 2025 Orchestral shows:
7/28 Philadelphia, PA TD Pavilion at the Mann (+ The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia)
7/30 New Haven, CT Westville Music Bowl (+ Orchestra of St. Luke's)
8/1 Forest Hills, NY Forest Hills Stadium (+ Orchestra of St. Luke’')
8/4 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion (+ National Symphony Orchestra)
8/6 Highland Park, IL Ravinia Festival (+ Chicago Philharmonic)
8/8 Colorado Springs, CO Ford Amphitheater (+ Colorado Symphony)
8/11 San Diego, CA The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park (+ San Diego Symphony Orchestra)
Phantom Island Tour 2025 Rock shows:
8/2 Forest Hills, NY Forest Hills Stadium
8/15-8/17 Buena Vista, CO Field Of Vision
For newcomers to KGLW, it may seem daunting trying to figure out what album to start with. Don’t fret. There is a handy website geared at helping to introduce new fans of KGLW named Gizzverse Guide. It helps direct the first-time listener who might feel overwhelmed with the amount of material KGLW has in their massive discography. Check it out today!
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