Melbourne, Australia’s King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard hit the Hi-Tone this Tuesday night in support of their latest LP, Nonagon Infinity. Since forming in 2010, the psychedelic powerhouse has released album after album of interweaving prog rock, working with labels like Castle Face, Heavenly, and, most frequently, Australia’s Flightless Records.
King Gizzard have made a name for themselves by taking the writing approach of bands like Thee Oh Sees and putting it in a blender with a few prescriptions of Adderall. The songs are spastic yet complex, and listening to a complete album by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard can definitely prove to be an aural endurance test. On record, the band’s songs run together seamlessly, but catching the seven-member band live is where their music is best experienced. Having toured the U.S. multiple times since blowing up in 2013, the band is a finely tuned machine when it comes to their live show, and their unusually large lineup (complete with two drummers) effectively freaks audiences out before completely winning them over.
King Gizzard
Touring with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are Geelong, Australia, psych wonders the Murlocs, who are also on Flightless Records. While King Gizzard explore the frenetic elements of psych rock, the Murlocs explore the more traditional, 13th Floor Elevators-esque side of the genre. Both bands are at the top of the greater Australian psych scene, but their different approaches to the same genre are a testament to the versatility of what’s been cooking down under since bands like Tame Impala and Royal Headache opened the door for smaller, independent Aussie acts. Locals Spaceface also play this Tuesday night gig.