At one of their biggest shows yet, I go to see psych rock’s best offering – King Gizzard & The Wizard Lizard – at Alexandra Palace, 5th October 2019, to see how they fair compared to last time around.
Suspense, Exhilaration, Vigour. All coursing through my veins as the very pioneers of the modern psych-rock cult – colloquially known as King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – take to the stage, readying themselves for the task at hand. Alexandra Palace is full to the brim with fans and their uninitiated friends alike, the air pungent, electrified and intoxicated. They’re ready. But, oh boy, are we even readier.
The setlist turns out to be a fantastic pick’n mix of all King Gizz’s recent and past hits, with an unbeatable opener, Self Immolate, as well as Crumbling Castle and Rattlesnake making surprise appearances, alongside the expected tunes from their latest releases, Infest the Rats Nest and Fishing for Fishies. The stage, like the crowd, is absolutely packed – having two drummers doesn’t exactly help for space – and their presence is downright commanding on stage.
They seem to blend effortlessly between their harder hitting and mellow tracks too, and it’s astounding that they have that kind of diversity in their music to begin with. They’ve gone from psych-rock to mellow ballads, to metal and blues – all with their unique spins – and their set isn’t even half over yet! One hell of a band, one hell of a venue, one hell of a crowd, this one was an absolute recipe for success from the get go.
And with that, the baptizing was complete.
As I re-fasten my belt and sort out my hair, a grin slowly growing on my face, I ask the fateful question.
“So, when are they coming back??”
