King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard live review: psych geniuses prove their cult status
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have never done things by halves. The six-piece are known for their prolific output – they’ve released 24 studio albums in 11 years – which has naturally attracted a large and dedicated fanbase. Thus, when the Australian band came to Manchester for a rare performance on British soil, thousands flocked to watch the psychedelic geniuses in action, with some even dressed in Gizz-related fancy dress.
In keeping with their standing as one of modern music’s most unconventional acts, the band took to the stage at midnight, playing until almost two in the morning. I arrived in Manchester in the early evening and reunited with friends I hadn’t seen in months, catching up over drinks and speculating about the band’s potential setlist. After one too many, we made our way down to the venue, Manchester Academy 1, located in the University of Manchester’s student union.
Once inside, we managed to catch the end of Los Bitchos’ DJ set, who set the crowd going with a string of ABBA hits and the ‘Macarena’. Despite the sounds of European pop being diametrically opposed to King Gizzard’s musical stylings (although, with their track record, I wouldn’t be surprised if they incorporated these influences into their next album), the crowd lapped up the musical entertainment. From long-haired metalheads to Doc Martens-wearing post-punk boys, the audience indulged in pure pop bliss before King Gizzard took to the stage mere moments later.
As soon as the opening song, Polygondwanaland‘s ‘Crumbling Castle’, began, it didn’t take long for me to realise that I’d stood a little too close to the middle of the action. Immediately caught in a mass of sweaty, drunk bodies, I battled my way to safety, hoping I would soon find my friends. Luckily, within a few songs, we were all back together, and we danced our way through the band’s metal cuts, such as ‘Supercell’ and ‘Dragon’, as well as the hip-hop-influenced ‘The Grim Reaper’.
The band allowed the audience some breathing space by playing the mellow ‘Work This Time’, although they were soon back to their heavier ways with ‘Evil Death Roll’, welcoming impassioned chants of “Nonagon Infinity opens the door”. King Gizzard are a notoriously nerdy band due to the interconnected storylines and characters running through their work (fans even formulated the Gizzverse theory). Yet everyone revelled shamelessly. After all, how many other bands could make a song that features repetitive chants of “Rattlesnake, rattles me,” or perhaps “PetroDragonic A-poc-a-lypse!” sound so good?
At their core, King Gizzard are a live band whose sheer virtuosity has allowed them to become one of the most astounding acts of the 21st century. Whether you’ve only dipped your toes into their intimidatingly large discography or know every track they’ve put to tape, seeing the band live will certainly not disappoint. There was never a dull moment in the set, and I couldn’t even be mad that they didn’t play anything from my two favourite albums of theirs, I’m In Your Mind Fuzz and Infest the Rat’s Nest.
The size and excitement of the crowd was a testament to the band’s well-deserved cult status, with people travelling far and wide to attend the gig. Later in the night, after a pitstop at Popolino for some chips, we ended up chatting with a group of fans who had come all the way from Belgium for the performance. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are a band worth travelling for, uniting people across the world through their unending creativity and impressive (albeit intense) live shows.
