When I got out of Gizzard's first show at the Salt Shed, all I could think was "that was good but I think something better is coming." Not to spoil my other thoughts on the Chicago residency but that line of thinking wasn't wrong. For all intents and purposes, the start of the Salt Shed was a good Gizzard show.  Some could even argue a great Gizzard show which is all fine and dandy. For me however it was just the start.

The Chicago residency was plagued with bad weather and it was apparent since the first day. The summer days before the 11th had all but vanished and turned into a chilly, windy Chicago day. The temperture was fine but the wind knocked things down to a tough forty degrees. Some fans hid inside their coats and jackets, some tried to double up their clothes with newly bought Gizzard shirts, others didn't care and stuck around freezing. The band themselves seemed cold as well and one has to wonder if Chicago's windy conditions played a part in the set's energy.

Gizzard started with a set of microtonal songs starting with tracks from their album L.W., those being "Pleura" and "O.N.E.". The mid tempo but entergetic tracks set the stage for the night though sat a bit strange for me as openers. Next was "Nuclear Fusion" with guest vocals from an audience member named Seb who crushed it. The head bobbing jam was a bit rough around the edges however it was a highlight of the show and a whole lot of fun to hear. The band transitioned out of "Nuclear Fusion" into Joey's "Minimum Brain Size" which wrapped up the low key microtonal start just fine. From there the band made it to their metal set and started with a long suite consisting of Omnium Gatherum's "Gaia", the Petrodragonic Apocalypse slow burn "Motor Spirit" and Gumboot Soup's often overlooked godly banger "The Great Chain of Being" before going back into "Gaia" at the very end. This to me was a better start than the microtonal material and while I felt that at times the medley seemed a bit long, it was great to experience overall. Following that was "Witchcraft" from Petrodragonic Apocalypse which faired much better in my mind. So far the set was good but I had a flash of excitement shoot up my spine during the deep cut "Satan Speeds Up." The band got the track down and provided a great counterpoint to the previous heavy moments. "Trapdoor" was next and served as a sinister follow up to the lounge-y tune before it. Afterwards was the highlight of the night. "The River" felt like a fitting song as the venue was actually next to a river and the band pulled a lot of influence from the Grateful Dead (they saw Dead and Company at Wrigley the night before). The jam seemed to incorporate elements of the Dead's "Space" jams as well as their 1978 classic "Fire on the Mountain" but it wasn't too much of a copy as the band played through the average River repitoire with an excellent ending. Driving out of that was a rocking "Evil Death Roll" and a bouncy, crowd pleasing "Magma." Finally we got a bluesy ending fitting for the Windy City - "Boogieman Sam." The jam felt a bit long to me with a bit too little to do but when it hit, it hit. 

In my mind 6/11 was a night to knock out some b-listers. For as many stand out moments there were, there was always another that felt far less important. Paired with the band's less energetic vibe and the weather the end product was simply "fine." It was a Gizzard show more than capable of pleasing but it wasn't a classic - at least in my mind.