King Gizzard’s first show at Chicago’s Salt Shed was another impressive show.
I could hear that from wherever I stood, even as the winds interfered with the sound.
I struggled to see how amazing this show was, however, and I place that blame on the venue itself.
It would have helped if I showed up sooner, too, and secured a better spot.
It was apparently the first time this new venue used its outdoor configuration, and while there is the river and the skyline as a beautiful backdrop, I’ll admit I was a little disappointed.
Everyone I’ve heard from has absolutely loved the indoor configuration at this property, which was repurposed from a giant Morton Salt building to a modern concert venue.
Then again, that lack of a sightline to the band’s visual element – and I’d guess that at least 30 percent of the crowd had no real view of Jason Galea’s amazing screen that was set back and blocked by the speaker stacks for many people – still highlighted the power of this band’s music.
I talked to several folks who were at their first King Gizz show and were completely blown away by the music. Most of these folks could not see the screen where Galea, the band’s artist (his projector is one of the coolest things about this band, and there are a lot of cool things about King Gizz).
I hope they all get to see the band play at a venue that is more conducive to their entire audio/visual package.
But enough about that.
It was another stellar show from King Gizzard.
The show started out in loud mode with two off 2021’s L.W. LP “Pleura,” and “O.N.E.”
Then it was “Nuclear Fusion,” off 2017’s Flying Microtonal Banana, and then “Minimum Brain Size,” from 2020’s K.G. LP.
A fan, Seb, was brought on stage to do the vocal intro to “Nuclear Fusion,” and I have to credit both social media and KGLW.net for getting his name. Check out their notated setlist here.
I love that song, by the way, and so did just about everybody in attendance, from what I could tell, though it was about this time that I was abandoning my spot on the balcony in search of a nightlight on Galea’s screen.
The band kept up the heavy onslaught with a lengthy “Gaia,” from 2022’s Omnium Gatherum, and then sandwiched “Motor Spirit,” off their forthcoming album, and “The Great Chain of Being,” from 2017’s Gumboot Soup, before transitioning back into “Gaia.” The band dedicated the song to John Mayer, “The Guitar Slayer.” The band had been seen the night before at Dead & Company’s show at nearby Wrigley Field, and many of my friends wondered if that would impact King Gizz in any way. I have to think it did, but it’s hard to know and maybe it just got some wheels turning in their heads. As fans of jam bands, we can all hope, especially as this band starts more and more to embrace improvisation.
I was also cold and hungry, and I had to seek out both food and a hoodie as was one of the most underdressed people in attendance with a T-shirt and shorts. I was fortunately able to find a hoodie that fit me at Frët12 Guitar Supply, a guitar shop inside the venue. That’s the kind of cool shit about this venue that I think people have to love.
The heavy dose of metal continued with “Witchcraft,” off their forthcoming album, PetroDragonic Apocalypse of Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation, due June 16.
That’s about as loud as the band has started a show in the 16 shows I have seen since the middle of October, and I think everybody loved it.
Thankfully, for my more jammier taste, the band moved to the chill side with its second “Satan Speeds Up,” this week. The band played it for the first or second time during the day show at Red Rocks on Thursday. I’m thankful it may be in the rotation now. It’s part of the absolute masterpiece I’m In Your Mind Fuzz from 2014.
Then it was a banging “Trapdoor,” a song that I know many folks around me at their first Gizz show were just blown away by. It is an amazing song from 2015’s Paper Mâché Dream Balloon.
“And everybody knows what’s under that door
And everybody goes to great lengths for sure”
Then the band honored the Chicago River with “The River,” from 2015’s Quarters LP. I love this bluesy and jammy song, and this was an exceptional version. The crowd finally started to get down at the end of the meandering song when it returns to the main theme and the band cranks up the volume with dirty guitar and bass play as well as Ambrose Kenny-Smith on the harmonica, pushing things even harder. I’ll say this, and not to be critical of my favorite member of this band, but he didn’t have a large a role in this show as many I’ve seen. And damnit I love it when his performance looms large. Regardless, some of my friends who had never seen this band play before, wondered how he was able to hit such high notes. He is just that amazing.
They came back to the heavy mode with a mean “Evil Death Roll,” off 2016’s Nonagon Infinity. KGLW.net noted that it did not include the “No Invisible Fence” section.
Then it was “Magma,” that funky, jammy song off 2022’s Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava.
They closed the show out with “Boogieman Sam,” off 2019’s Fishing for Fishies. This was a very notable version, with a lot of quotes and teases of both of their own songs and covers.
There was Ann Cole’s “Got My Mojo Working,” and Robert Johnson’s “Sweet Home Chicago,” and Little Walter’s “My Babe.”
Then they quoted their own work with “Cut Throat Boogie,” a song off their 2012 LP 12 Bar Bruise.
They quoted Canned Heat’s “Going Up the Country,” and then teased their own “Head On/Pill” and lastly “The Dripping Tap,” teases and quotes.
“Drip, drip from the tap don’t slip”