About that King Gizzard show in Minneapolis…
The Skinny: King Gizzard took the task of a Tuesday show as seriously as they could have, and crafted a diverse setlist that included songs off 11 of their LPs as they played for about 150 minutes, a good half hour past their customary non-marathon shows. Did I mention it was a Tuesday night?
The Setlist: Pleura, O.N.E., Nuclear Fusion, The Reticent Raconteur > The Lord of Lightning -> Cellophane, Mystery Jack, Antarctica -> Ambergris -> Hypertension, Flight b741, Le Risque, Theia -> The Silver Cord > The Grim Reaper -> Magenta Mountain Jam, Plastic Boogie -> This Thing -> Am I In Heaven?, Supercell, Motor Spirit
For a more detailed setlist, head over to KGLW.net
The Yams: While this was not one of the jammiest Gizz shows, there was plenty of improvisation throughout. In “Cellophane,” the band teased “I’m In Your Mind,” “Am I In Heaven?” and “The Lord of Lightning.” There was some nice jamminess as the band shifted from “Antarctica” to “Ambergris.” Joey Walker said, “Hit me with that J-funk, Cookie.” “Hypertension” was top level, and worked between chill mode and a hard edge. There was a “Witchcraft” tease in there. The center mosh pit responded and later started up a clap in the jam. There was some jamminess in the transition from “Theia” to “The Silver Cord.” And “Torture Chamber,” “Body Movin’” and the Beastie Boys’ “Intergalactic” were quoted in “The Grim Reaper.” “Am I In Heaven?” which felt like the closer, was beautifully played, and included “Lava,” “The Dripping Tap,” and “This Thing” teases. The song also had a “Hypertension” jam.
Out for a Metal: While the band played plenty loud throughout this show, opening with “Pleura” and “O.N.E.” off L.W., the heaviest and thrashiest section didn’t come to the very end of the show, with PetroDragonic Apocalypse’s “Supercell” and “Motor Spirit.” The timing of those two tunes, seemed almost sadistic to me (and I mean that as a compliment), seeing how packed the pit was at the end of such a long show by non-marathon standards.
The Untz: The synth table was wheeled out past the mid-way point of the show, and the band intended to use it for more than just the two Silver Cord songs, “Theia” and “The Silver Cord.” The electronica vibes are a staple of the madness of “The Grim Reaper,” along with Stu’s flute and Amby’s rapping. The band meant to keep going with it, but there was an equipment issue as they attempted to play “Magenta Mountain,” which ended up just being a jam. The Minneapolis crowd seemed to eat up the electronic section more than other cities I’ve seen this tour, but that also could be part of my perspective of being in the middle of the pit tonight. In all, the table was out and used for about 41 minutes, which is a good 10 to 15 minutes longer than the band has been utilizing it for most of the shows this tour.
Let Ambrose Rap: Ambrose Kenny-Smith’s opportunities to throw down rhymes have been limited this tour, but the Minneapolis crowd ate up his Grim Reaper performance, which kicked up one of the most intense periods inside the stage center mosh pit. He moved around the stage and quoted the Beastie Boys’ “Intergalactic.”
“Another dimension, another dimension, another dimension.”
Flight b741: “Antarctica” was the first of three songs to be played off the new album, though it was on its own island in between “Mystery Jack” and “Ambergris.” “Flight b741” and “Le Risque” were played consecutively a few songs later.
Stage Banter: At the beginning of the show, Ambrose noted that the band was last in St. Paul in 2022. “What’s the deal? Is there a rivalry between St. Paul and Minneapolis? Is that a thing?” Joey Walker asked. Stu said the band played in 2015 “at the Prince place.” He was referring to 7th Street Entry, which is essentially the basement of First Avenue. Prince made First Avenue famous as “Purple Rain” was shot on that stage. Stu wasn’t referring to Paisley Park out in Chanhassan, the home and studio of arguably Minnesota’s most famous musician (and undoubtedly the most beloved among Minnesotans; no offense to Bob Dylan who is just as legendary). … As the band prepared to play “Nuclear Fusion,” with its vocal intro, Joey Walker pulled a man with a very loud shirt completely covered with the Oddments cover up on stage. This man, who was on the rail, was also named Joe. “That’s fucking crazy!” Walker said. And then in a departure from what has been custom with these crowd-sourced “Nuclear Fusion” intros, Walker actually allowed the man to use the vocal effects that he would normally use. They shared a name, after all. Joe made the most of it.
Odds and Ends: After “Hypertension,” one fan passed up a bass pick for bassist Lucas Harwood. Stu came down to get the pick and tossed it to Lucas, who was thankful.
Debuts: None.
Bustouts: “Mystery Jack” hadn’t been played since May 31, 2022 in Athens, Greece, a gap of 138 shows, according to KGLW.net.