KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD – “FLOAT ALONG, FILL YOUR LUNGS” TOUR
28th AUGUST
NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB
Surrounded by indie/hipster residents clutching schooners and donning copious amounts of facial hair. I knew I was in for a good night. Having only being a “newbie” to the Melbourne scene, I walked into the Northcote Social Club bandroom not knowing who King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard were. I had heard rumours from friends that they were one of Melbourne’s best acts – and I was about to see why.
A very interesting and captivating psychedelic projection on the back wall of the stage was soon accompanied by support act Nick Allbrook. Armed with a blood-stained Fender Mustang coated in Japanese characters, the Pond frontman bled emotion with every track. A multitude of songs faded out in a Radiohead-esque fashion; percussion and melodies merged to create an indecipherable wall of noise. Mumbling between songs about batteries and flight QF325, Allbrook was relaxed and fully submerged in his music – as was the audience.
It wasn’t long after Allbrook’s set that the stars – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – took to the stage. The crowd erupted into cheers, applause, whatever sounds of appreciation you could imagine. The first thing that struck me when they walked out on stage was not the fact that almost all of them had long hair, or that one of them was sporting a very rare Rickenbacker guitar, but that there was seven of them.
2 drummers.
5 guitarists.
And each one sharing the role of the vocalist.
King Gizzard kicked off their set by playing their soon to be released album Float Along, Fill Your Lungs from start to finish. A psychedelic delight, the album incorporates distorting fuellefd psych-melodies, Skyhook-like riffs, and harmonica playing that could rival Paul Kelly. Oozing enthusiasm and exuberance, the band was aesthetically pleasing and had the ability to hold your interest throughout the entire playing.
To end their set, King Gizzard powered into earlier material reminiscent of what you would get if you combined Tame Impala, Descendents, The Libertines and Oasis. Obviously strong crowd pleasers, the punk-western tracks certainly got the reaction the band wanted – complete with crowdsurfers, a mosh pit, and flying alcohol.
I was left with a strong impression that King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard never disappoints. The room was buzzing long after the set. Even on the tram home people talked about it the whole trip.
If you had heard of King Gizzard before but were never sure whether to delve into their psychedelic wonderland or not, it is highly recommended that you do. No regrets will be had.
Keep an eye out for these guys.
They’re going to be huge.