Fresh off a four-night run at The Caverns in Tennessee, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard continued their U.S. residency tour with three shows in two days at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO.
Less than a year after playing their first shows at the famed amphitheater (recordings of which were released as a live album), King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard returned on Wednesday, June 7th and kicked off another memorable Red Rocks run with a show demonstrating that, even with a new “heavy as f–k” thrash metal album on the way, KGLW have not abandoned their “jammy period” just yet.
The band’s extended jams and playfully interwoven setlist were especially fitting with jam godfather and KGLW superfan Trey Anastasio in the audience. The Phish guitarist posted a photo earlier in the day wearing a shirt with the classic Phish logo altered to say “Gizz” indicating that he was on his way to the show and was spotted in the crowd taking photos and chatting with fans, though rumors of a sit-in went unfulfilled.
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Highlights of night one included jams on “Sense” and “The Grim Reaper”, the live debuts of “Motor Spirit” (from the band’s forthcoming album) and “Hate Dancin'”, and a sequence in “Robot Stop” with teases of “Hot Water”, “The Dripping Tap”, and “Shanghai”. The “Sense” jam contained a tease of “Iron Lung”, which in turn closed the set with a tease of “Sense”.
Day two at Red Rocks was a whole different ball game, with both an early and a late show. The early show started at 2:30 P.M., included the live debut of “Satan Speeds Up”, and culminated with a barn burner “Magma” closer that left the sun-dazed crowd with a jolt of energy. Following the set, fans attending both the early and late shows were allowed to stay in the venue to listen to the band’s new album, PetroDragonic Apocalypse, over the PA.
Related: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Share 9-Minute Reptilian Epic “Dragon” [Video]
After complaining about being nearly burnt to a crisp during the sun-drenched early show, the band and audience faced a new challenge Thursday night in the form of torrential rain. A weather delay caused the cancelation of opening act Kamikaze Palm Tree, who provided support for the other two one-set shows. Fans fretted that the show would canceled outright, but the storm passed and the weather delay was lifted in time for King Gizzard to take the stage and conclude the run with one more jam-heavy set.
Click below to view a gallery of photos of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard at Red Rocks Amphitheatre courtesy of photographer Kit Tincher. The band’s tour continues with three nights at The Salt Shed in Chicago (6/11–6/13) and three nights at Carnation Farms in Washington (6/16–6/18) before culminating in a three-hour marathon set at Hollywood Bowl (6/21). For a full list of upcoming shows and ticketing details, visit the band’s website.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO – 6/7/23 – Preview [Pro-Shot]
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO – 6/7/23 [Full Show]
[Video: Sky’s Boots]
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO – 6/8/23 Early Show [Full Show]
[Video: Sky’s Boots]
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO – 6/8/23 Late Show [Full Show]
[Video: Sky’s Boots]
Setlist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO | 6/7/23
One Set: Gaia[1] > Motor Spirit[2] > Gaia, Superbug, Sense, Magenta Mountain > The Grim Reaper, Astroturf, Hate Dancin'[3], Down The Sink, The Reticent Raconteur > The Lord of Lightning > Robot Stop > Big Fig Wasp > Gamma Knife > Iron Lung
Footnotes:
[1] With drum solo
[2] Debut, incomplete
[3] Debut
Show Notes: This show featured the debuts of Motor Spirit and Hate Dancin’. Gaia featured a drum solo by Cavs. Sense featured “no sense at all” vocals and contained Am I In Heaven? teases, Iron Lung quotes, Head On/Pill teases and Straws in the Wind quotes. The Grim Reaper featured “I’m the Shrimp Reaper” vocals and contained unknown (“What’s the Combination”) quotes. Following Astroturf Cavs’ parents briefly appeared on stage. Down the Sink featured lyrics changed to “the street is where people jam.” Robot Stop contained Hot Water teases/quotes, The Dripping Tap quotes/teases and Shanghai quotes including elements of the ”let’s get real high” jam featured in several versions of Shanghai on the March 2023 European tour. The segue out of Gamma Knife contained a People-Vultures tease. Iron Lung contained Sense teases.
Setlist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO | 6/8/23 Early Show
Set: The Dripping Tap, Crumbling Castle > The Fourth Colour, Self-Immolate[1], Converge > Witchcraft, Satan Speeds Up[2], Shanghai, This Thing, Most Of What I Like, The Wheel, Evil Death Roll, Magma
Footnotes:
[1] With drum solo
[2] Debut
Show Notes: This show featured the debut of Satan Speeds Up. Shanghai featured the “let’s get real high” jam. Evil Death Roll contained Iron Lung quotes. Following the show those attending both the early and late shows were allowed to stay in the venue and the band’s new album PetroDragonic Apocalypse was played over the PA.
Setlist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, CO | 6/8/23 Late Show
Set: Rattlesnake, Open Water, Pleura, Straws In The Wind, Presumptuous-> Hypertension-> Ice V, Slow Jam 1, Hell > Mars For The Rich, Supercell, Gila Monster
Show Notes: Scheduled opening band Kamikaze Palm Tree’s set was cancelled due to an inclement weather warning. Rattlesnake contained Sleep Drifter teases/quotes, Honey teases and Boogieman Sam quotes, and had some of the “Rattle, rattle, rattle” refrains changed to “boogie, boogie, boogie.” Slow Jam 1 contained Iron Lung quotes. Slow Jam 1 contained Her and I (Slow Jam 2) quotes. Hell contained Superbug teases.
