As the night of June 10th progressed, a sauntering heat began to fill the Riviera Theatre. Even so, the suffocation of the venue’s air did not stop the diverse crowd from going all out. Head-banging and moshing immediately ensued upon the first song of Amyl and The Sniffers’ set. The eclectic sound and look of the group perfectly encapsulated the feel of the audience which, in turn, made for a very intimate performance. Rarely do openers strike this kind of personal connection with crowds’, so it was quite refreshing to see this effort from Amyl and The Sniffers.
While the crowd was grateful for that strong start to the night, the audience dropped all previous thoughts and engagements upon hearing the aggressive and downright heavy entrance of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard track “Digital Black”. The sinister track off 2017’s Murder of the Universe snapped the audience into form instantaneously with tremendous fervor. The impressively commanding music continued with the blissful psych-rock jam “Lord of Lightning”. Being a crowd favorite, “Lord of Lightning” propelled the creation of many mosh pits and overall just alleviated a lot of tensions within the crowd. The brute force and aggression didn’t maintain throughout the night, as King Gizzard also tap danced through many more laid back compositions.
“Sleep Drifter”, “The Wheel”, and “Beginner’s Luck” all saw King Gizzard exploring more free-flowing and jazzy contours. Tinges of Latin music, swing-era jazz, and psychedelia may not have reacted in the biggest pits of the night, but they were certainly welcomed changes of pace.
On top of the impressive display of music, the colors and tripped-out visuals projected throughout the performance made for an insanely immersive experience. At times, it was hard to take all of it in honestly, but perhaps that it is a sign that you are witnessing something that is truly beyond you. At the end of the day, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard put on a must-see show. Their layered backgrounds, unbelievable musical abilities, and overall showmanship make for an all-encompassing odyssey that you will not soon forget.
Griffin Boyle
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