Posted this review to a blog I write but I figured Gizz fans would enjoy it here too!

After setup, the boys walked from outside the massive cave to the stage, protected by a Tennessee security force wearing cowboy hats. The band thanked Kamikaze Palm Tree before launching into the classic drum intro signifying “The Dripping Tap” from “Omnium Gatherium” released last year. This song is great for electrifying an audience and that it did, quickly. Mosh pits immediately formed up front and in GA as they launched into the jam.

Next up was the literal first half of the intense psych rock album “Nonagon Infinity”. Robot Stop -> Mr. Beat (5 songs) was played with no interruption. Punctuated by fast guitar playing on shorter songs, massive breakdowns, and some of guitarist Stu McKenzie’s (vocals, guitar, microtonal guitar, synth, keys, flute) famous guitar poses, “Nonagon Infinity” is a live experience that grabs on and doesn’t let go.

Never one to stop good flow, Gizz transitioned into a three song jam of Iron Lung → Hypertension → Hot Water. I don’t know man, “Iron Lung” in the cave hits different and this version was an instant classic. “Iron Lung” gave way seamlessly to the spacey rock song “Hypertension” and the jam was finished with “Hot Water”, signaling Stu McKenzie (guitar, microtonal guitar, flute synth, keyboard) to break out his flute and put Ron Burgundy to shame.

Ending the jam session, the band took a well deserved break to setup before launching into three songs from 2017’s “Polygondwanaland”. The three songs that compose this prog rock trilogy (“Inner Cell”, “Loyalty”, “Horology”) tell a fantasy story and can best be described as sounding like if Tool also throat sang.

Good thing we took that break for three songs, because things heated up immediately with an (at the time) unreleased live debut. Off their latest album “PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation” (still serious), “Supercell” would feel at home at a Metallica concert if they switched time signatures every verse. This was followed by a pair of songs from 2019’s metal “Infest the Rat’s Nest” and concluded with another unreleased metal song “Gila Monster”. I wasn’t 100% set on “Gila Monster” until I heard 1400 people chant “Gila! Gila!” and fist pump simultaneously: this is a frighteningly good live metal anthem.

As shown by the set list, King Gizzard absolutely came to rage Night 1. I thought it had a very solid offering for some of the harder Gizz fans but softer, electronic, and microtonal fans probably left without hearing their favorites. This is one of the down sides of a Gizzard show: no repeats at the same venue and 24 studio albums means you wont always hear what you want.