The Australian, multi-genre phenoms King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard stepped up to the plate for their matinee show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre promptly at 2 p.m. on Monday, September 9th. The band, dressed down for the heat in their tank tops and shorts, were ready to give their adoring fans exactly what they wanted—a show chock-full of bust-outs and rarities.
After playing their eighth career show in the legendary venue the night before, the group aimed to treat the audience to a memorable affair. The show the night before was highly regarded, but one component of the band’s repertoire, their unique microtonal musical stylings, was noticeably absent. The band sought to remedy that right out of the gate, starting with six of the opening seven tunes being of that genre.
Bustouts began three songs into the show with the group dusting off “Anoxia” off their Flying Microtonal Banana album for the first time since August 16th, 2024 (57 shows ago), per KGLW.net. This was a fitting selection given the definition of that word is “the absence of oxygen,” which inspired the band to comment on the high altitude of the Colorado mountain venue they clearly revere.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard — “Anoxia” — 9/9/24
[Video: Bootleg Lizard]
The rarities continued two songs later in the set as the band lit into their Polygondwanaland track, “Tetrachromacy” which hadn’t been played in 119 shows (since October 14th, 2022) and was delivered with gusto in its third-ever appearance. Guitarist and vocalist Joey Walker opted to switch to an acoustic guitar for this song, which he then retained for most of the show’s remainder—providing a new take and sound on several songs.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard — “Tetrachromacy” — 9/9/24
[Video: Bootleg Lizard]
The next song saw the group’s resident harmonica virtuoso, Ambrose Kenny-Smith step out from behind his keyboards and percussion rack to deliver a sultry take on “Let me Mend the Past” off 2013’s Float Along – Fill Your Lungs. Amby, as he is affably referred to, prefaced the song by stating he was there to serenade the audience with some “psychedelic Motown.” This tune saw the group shift away from the Microtonal segment of the show.
Up next, the Aussie sextet called “It’s Got Old” out from the bullpen. This Oddments track hadn’t been performed live in nearly a year and a half, a 73-show gap since June 4th, 2023. The last bustout of the afternoon was the biggest of the day, with the group digging deep into their extensive and diverse catalog for “Dirt”, off their 2015 acoustic album, Paper Mâché Dream Balloon. “Dirt” hadn’t been played since April 13th, 2022, a 169-show gap.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard — “Dirt” — 9/9/24
[Video: Bootleg Lizard]
The gentlemen from the Land Down Under then shifted gears and treated the day show attendees to a romp through a string of songs off their recently released ’70s-style rock album, Flight b741. A run of “Mirage City” (reprise), “Field of Vision”, and “Sad Pilot” > “Rats in the Sky” wound down the afternoon show before I’m in Your Mind Fuzz‘s “Hot Water” took it home.
Those who had tickets to both the daytime and nighttime shows were able to hang around inside the venue between sets, where they were treated to unreleased music from KGLW offshoots Pipe-eye and Heavy Moss playing over the PA. For the evening show, King Gizzard eschewed the deep catalog dives of the daytime set—”Wah Wah” and “Road Train” tied for the biggest bust-out with a 17-show gap each.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are out there proving night after night that they absolutely deserve the meteoric rise in popularity they are currently experiencing. By livestreaming every show on their North American tour for free with crisp soundboard audio on their YouTube page, they are earning new fans in droves on a daily basis.
The band will round out the summer leg of its North American tour with a run of shows in the Pacific Northwest, culminating on Saturday with a marathon show at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA. Find tickets and a full list of tour dates on their website.
Check out photos from all three King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre courtesy of photographer Kit Tincher along with some concert videos.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard — “Billabong Valley” — 9/9/24
[Video: Bootleg Lizard]
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard — “Hot Water” — 9/9/24
[Video: Bootleg Lizard]
Setlist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO | 9/9/24
Early Show: K.G.L.W. (Outro), East West Link, Anoxia, The Book[1], Billabong Valley, Plastic Boogie, Tetrachromacy[2], Let Me Mend the Past[2], It’s Got Old[2], Mystery Jack[2], You Can Be Your Silhouette[2], God Is Calling Me Back Home[2], Mirage City[2], Dirt[2], Work This Time[2] -> Mirage City Reprise, Field of Vision, Sad Pilot > Rats In The Sky -> Hot Water
Footnotes:
[1] with drum solo
[2] Joey on acoustic guitar
Show Notes: Anoxia was last played 2023-08-16. (57 show gap) The beginning of Billabong Valley contained Cotton-Eyed Joe (Traditional) quotes and an Automation tease. Tetrachromacy was last played 2022-10-14 (119 show gap). It’s Got Old was last played 2023-06-04 (73 show gap). Before Mystery Jack, Zebra (John Butler) was teased. Dirt was last played 2022-04-13 (169 show gap), and contained a Hot Water tease. Following the Mirage City Reprise, the band teased and quoted We Will Rock You (Queen) with the lyrics changed to “We will Red Rock you”. Field of Vision was dedicated to tour manager Jess Lewis. Tetrachromacy through Work This Time featured Joey on acoustic guitar. Rats In The Sky contained a Hot Water tease. Hot Water contained Nutbush City Limits (Ike & Tina Turner), Antarctica, Motor Spirit, and Iron Lung quotes, and Hell’s Riff. Ambrose quoted If You Want My Love (Cheap Trick) as the band left the stage. Following the show those attending both the early and late shows were allowed to stay in the venue and Pipe-eye’s upcoming album Pipe-defy and Heavy Moss’ upcoming album Dead Slow were played over the PA.
Late Show: Perihelion, Motor Spirit, The Great Chain of Being, Flamethrower, Wah Wah > Road Train, Antarctica, Ambergris, Trapdoor, Black Tooth, People-Vultures > Mr. Beat > Raw Feel, Flight b741, Welcome to an Altered Future > Theia > Gilgamesh -> Set, Float Along – Fill Your Lungs
Show Notes: Wah Wah contained a The River intro with a Cellophane tease and the song itself contained a The River quote as well as a jam and Am I In Heaven? teases.
Before Antarctica, which was introduced as a song about Antarctica and “Cookie’s biggest regret thinking polar bears live [there]”, Ambrose quoted the outro of Daily Blues. Ambergris was dedicated to sperm whales. Trapdoor was introduced as a song about “the dungeon Stu keeps Ambrose trapped in to make music”. Before Black Tooth, Stu asked the crowd if anyone had been to the nine Red Rocks shows the band had done, which led Ambrose to quote Nein and say they should play it. Before People-Vultures, Ambrose quoted Walk The Dinosaur (Was (Not Was)). People-Vultures itself contained an Iron Lung quote. Mr. Beat contained an Iron Lung jam with lyrics. Raw Feel was not on the printed setlist. Flight b741 was dedicated to Lucas. Theia contained The Silver Cord quotes. Gilgamesh contained Gila Monster quotes. Set contained Ice V teases. Float Along – Fill Your Lungs contained a Dragon jam.
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