In a rush and can’t read the full recap? Make sure to check out: “Organ Farmer”, “Evil Death Roll”, “Motor Spirit”, and “Head On/Pill” -> “Sad Pilot” -> “Head On/Pill.”
photo by Jakov ŠafranKing Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard hit the Wide Awake festival in London full-force. With the beloved and inimitable Cheryl Waters on hand to stoke the crowd, the band wasted no time setting the vibe for the next ninety minutes. Joey commanded Sammy-boy to turn it up, Stu counted off "Planet B," and the audience erupted. Second in line after a well-thrashed "Planet B" was another truly 'offal' version of "Organ Farmer," a song that appears to have stepped up in the rotation. (It was performed just five times in 2023—with forty-plus shows to go in 2024, the future promises ample portions of muscle meat and brie.) From the vantage point of the couch, it seemed like every word of "Organ Farmer" rang out clearly and the band put their full strength behind each note—an exemplary version.
"This Thing" was a surprising choice, given that the tour's metal segments so far have been beyond generous. The crowd sounded ready to go, however, chanting along to the main riff before Joey entered with the first verse. This version quickly found jam-like territory, with Amby's wailing harmonica signaling liftoff. It only ended too soon! Shifting the listener's attention yet again, the band started up "The Reticent Raconteur" > "The Lord of Lightning." This well-played pairing ended with one of those "holy shit!" drops into "Evil Death Roll." After some spirited interplay, the band sandwiched "The Silver Cord" quotes (specifically the "like a dog on the freeway..." section) with "Motor Spirit" chants. This gave way to some Cavs-centric jamming that became impressively primal and melodic by turns before the band came to their first genuine pause of the set.
Not sated by the opening one-two-punch of Infest the Rats' Nest material, the band switched guitars to get metallic again with "Supercell." Prepare to yield, indeed. An exquisite "Witchcraft" followed, and then "Motor Spirit" proper. It has been a special thing to hear these complete versions unfold with the patience and focus the song deserves. This “Motor Spirit” proved to be no different, and as far as sheer energy goes, it's my personal favorite complete version (so far).
Another gear switch-out and viola, the first "Head On/Pill" of the tour! Feeling as powerful as ever, the main body of "Head On" provided a welcome contrast to the metal-dominated set that preceded it. The jamming in "Pill" really got moving with some "Dripping Tap" chants from the crowd and then quotes and teases from "Hypertension." In short time, "Sad Pilot" teases appeared and then the band wound its way to the song's intro, similar to the transition executed in Berlin last week. Tonight Amby got a hold of his verse and didn't let go. (This song gets better with each performance—the sky appears to be the limit.)
The up-tempo jam out of "Sad Pilot" flirted with "Head On" and then blended "Chang'e" and "Witchcraft" teases, a wild mash-up that embodies via live performance the yin-yang concept shared by PetroDragonic Apocalypse and The Silver Cord. This jam funneled down into almost nothing. The crowd chanted “K-G-L-W,” prompting Stu to ask "What the fuck are you saying?" From a dark ambient corner, the band conjured the remnants of "Pill" and burst into a frenetic Cavs-driven jam that spilled over into more "Chang'e" themes and "Motor Spirit" chanting before drifting into some downright ethereal group improvisation. This led seamlessly into some heavy "Am I In Heaven?" teasing before the band brought it all back around to “Pill” to close the set.
King Gizzard has proven to be a consistently excellent festival act, and their set at Wide Awake only cemented this legacy. With exactly half the tour (including an acoustic set in Brighton) still ahead, it’s a great time to be a Gizz fan.