Adding another page to their gloriously creative approach to live performances, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard launched their U.S. orchestral tour on Monday (7/28) alongside the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia.
Conducted by Sarah Hicks, the concert was a live debut of their entire 27th album Phantom Island, played in full from beginning to end. This orchestral collaboration brought a deeper, more dynamic symphonic dimension to the Aussie's already complex psychedelic sound.
The show opened with the album’s title track, followed by eight more tunes which also received their live debuts, including “Deadstick,” “Lonely Cosmos,” and “Panpsych.”
The inspirational “Grow Wings and Fly” received its live debut late last year in Austin, but this marked the first time it got the orchestral additive - although the album version has its shares of strings and other elements.
KG&LW have built a reputation and career on unorthodox and genre-defying live shows, eagerly embracing chaos and experimentation.
Stu Mackenzie (vocals/guitar), Ambrose Kenny-Smith (harmonica/vocals/keyboards), Cook Craig (guitar/vocals), Joey Walker (guitar/vocals), Lucas Harwood (bass) and Michael Cavanagh (drums) have performed marathon three-hour sets covering multiple albums in full, sometimes changing setlists completely between nights in the same city.
They've performed entire concerts in microtonal tuning, used custom-built guitars, and occasionally swapped instruments mid-set.
In 2016 in France, they segued effortlessly through an hour-long medley of Nonagon Infinity tracks in a closed loop — a feat only possible with meticulous planning and near ESP musicianship.
Not only are they the real deal, but they're also probably aliens, friendly ones, showing off a brand of prolific exuberance rock music has never seen before.
Again: they're touring their 27th LP in just 13 years of putting out records where they’ve also released 3 EPs, 56 live albums, and 67 singles.
In April when they announced the record, Mackenzie wrote on their followers on IG, "a lot of love and time and energy and patience and growth went into this one. Can’t wait to grow wings and fly with all of you."
He also mentioned the record was two years in the making. The rich layers of instrumentation is obvious. It is a beautiful record and it's ambitious of them to take it on the road in this manner.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard will be touring around the USA next month doing more of these orchestra shows, but also have a few pure rock shows in store for the kids too.
Get your tickets on the King Gizzard website if you can, they tend to sell out quickly.
Orchestra Shows
August 1 – Forest Hills Stadium, New York, NY
August 4 – Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
August 6 – Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL
August 8 – Ford Amphitheater, Colorado Springs, CO
August 11 – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CA
Rock Shows
August 2 – Forest Hills Stadium, New York, NY
August 15 – Field of Vision, Buena Vista, CO
August 16 – Field of Vision, Buena Vista, CO
August 17 – Field of Vision, Buena Vista, CO
