Words by Filip van der Pol
As the sun sets on the first portion of King Gizzard's 2024 touring, the band has conquered the southern hemisphere and set a strong pace for the rest of the year.
Australian fans rejoiced as the band returned for a special homecoming concert in Deniliquin, the birthplace of Cavs.
Then across the ocean, South American fans eagerly waited for the band’s first ever performances, after the disappointment of a cancelled 2022 tour.
Meeting anticipation reaching fever pitch, King Gizzard delivered some of the most momentous concerts of their lifespan.
Deniliquin, a small and true blue rural town, provided the perfect backdrop for King Gizzard's long-awaited homecoming concert, and their first performance in six months. With the actual location of Willoughby’s Beach nearby, the band couldn't resist that exact track, which hadn't seen the light of day in over 120 concerts! They also took a moment to shout out Cavs' old man's plumbing services, because how else are you going to start singing about The Dripping Tap? Sure, it might've been their first time back on stage in a while, and yeah, they sounded a bit rusty. But did the weirdo swarm care? Not one bit. It's Gizz in Australia, after all! Of course, they're gonna lap it up. Especially since this was the only concert booked in their home country this year… for now...
South American fans were able to make the most of several appearances. At every airport the band arrived, there were crowds to welcome them, and after every show, even more hunkered down at the back door just to catch an extra glimpse. The chanting of the crowd at every concert was something unique and nearly unheard of. For King Gizzard's first-ever tour in South America, they were truly welcomed with open arms and hearts wide open, and showed plenty of love back from the stage with remarks in fans’ native languages.
During their tour alongside the Lollapalooza festival, King Gizzard also treated South American fans to two sideshows that stole the spotlight — the absolute highlights of the tour.
With their policy of not repeating songs too much based on location; hitting up several countries for the first time was the perfect opportunity to whip out many tight renditions of popular songs that might sound a little worn out in North America or Australia; with plenty of fan taping and pro-shoot festival footage documenting it all.
Their very first concert in Chile at Teatro Coliseo was no exception, a powerhouse performance featuring an all-hits lineup that left fans in awe. Picture this: "Head On/Pill," "Robot Stop," "Gamma Knife," "People-Vultures," a snippet of "The Tale of the Altered Beast," "Work This Time," "The River," "Am I in Heaven," and, of course, a massive metal section that included "Gila Monster", "Venusian 2", "Witchcraft", and "Predator X.". It was a setlist to remember, showcasing the band's versatility and electrifying stage presence without getting too drawn-out. The band was completely caught off guard by the reception; the crowd was chanting and singing along to every song, ensuring to leave an amazing first impression on Stu and the rest of the band.
At their debut performance at Lollapalooza in Chile, King Gizzard played it relatively safe, treating the crowd to more favourites like their "Mind Fuzz Suite" and "Crumbling Castle," and closing out with a powerful lineup including "Hell," "Supercell," "Dragon," and "Iron Lung." Once again, the swarm turned out in full force, seeing for the first time live why King Gizzard is one of their most beloved bands. The field was packed to full capacity and the crowd loved all of it.
During their next Lollapalooza show in Argentina, King Gizzard decided to shake things up a bit. They treated the crowd to a fresh, full performance of "Evil Death Roll," followed by an extended rendition of "Cut Throat Boogie." What made this performance truly special was Ambrose's addition of lyrics from "Going Up the Country" and "Got My Mojo Working" seamlessly woven into the mix as we have seen and heard a few times before. And just like before, the field was packed to capacity, with yet another South American country refusing to miss out on the spectacle that is our beloved King Gizzard.
Next up was the Argentina side show, and it was nothing short of spectacular. This gig stands out as probably the best show of this leg of the tour, featuring a massive six-song segue spanning five albums: "Hot Wax," "Hot Water," "Sleepwalker," "Hypertension," "Wah Wah," and ending on "Road Train." But there's more — they also teased snippets of even more songs, like "Am I in Heaven" and "Converge in Hot Water," "The River," "Head On/Pill," and "Crumbling Castle" in "Wah Wah." It was like a musical rollercoaster, keeping us guessing at what would come next in this monster of a show. Somehow, they still managed to squeeze in seven more songs, including an epic "Float Along - Fill Your Lungs" closer. It was truly an amazing show! A special shoutout to VHSnotdead AR for capturing this concert on a super cool VHS tape with impeccable audio recording! And the Argentinian crowd? Well, they showed their love for King Gizzard in a way that only they could – chanting like they were at a football/soccer game, expressing their adoration in a truly passionate and unforgettable manner.
King Gizzard certainly knows how to keep their fans on their toes! At the Colombian Lollapalooza, they took note of the crowd's appreciation for their earlier tracks and decided to treat them to a bust-out of "Danger $$$," a song they hadn't played in a whopping 135 shows. The real showstopper was the seamless segue from "The Lord of Lightning" into "Cellophane," a jaw-dropping moment that hadn't been witnessed since the 2018 Desert Daze festival, marking a staggering 220-show gap.The Colombian fans were even nice enough to fill an entire field for a photo from the stage for Joey’s mom!
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Their last show in South America for this leg of the tour was at Lollapalooza in Brazil. They decided that their first visit to the continent needed to end with an explosion, pulling out Sea of Trees during another six song segue! Hypertension started as Ice V, featured a few Hot Water quotes and fully segued into Sea of Trees. The only way Stu could stop singing Hot Water during Hypertension, Sea of Trees, and Robot Stop was by pulling out his magic flute. He immediately continued by hypnotising the crowd with that Hot Water, before bursting back into Robot Stop and ending the 25-minute long explosion with Gamma Knife.
As their first time setting foot on South American soil, it's safe to say that King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard left an indelible mark on the continent. With electrifying performances, unforgettable moments, and adoring fans in every corner, the Southern Hemisphere leg of the tour came to a close with memories that will last a lifetime. Using the site’s statistical overview of the tour, we can learn what to expect next time the tour South America!
- 68 total songs played
- 49 unique songs, 25% of their original discography that have been played live as of 3/31/24 (194 songs).
- Gila Monster, and Witchcraft, were both played 3 times, the most common songs of this short tour.
- No repeat opening songs and only Iron Lung closed a show twice.
South America did miss out on some of the bands most distinct sounds as their Microtonal instruments and synthesizers were unable to make the trip, leading to dozens of songs being unable to be played. Commonly played songs not seen include - Rattlesnake, Sleep Drifter, Nuclear Fusion, and Doom City. Synth songs missed this tour included The Horology Suite, Shanghai and Changes. Other big omissions include Boogieman Sam, Her & I and the Spanish version of the Murder of the Universe Suite, last seen 6/9/2022. Feels like these will almost be guaranteed when they return to South America! But before that, we still have huge Europe and North American tours to look forward to, starting with the next concert in Brussels on the 15th of May!