photo by ToraTapesIn a rush and can’t read the full recap? Make sure to check out: “The Fourth Colour”, “Rattlesnake”, “The River”, “The Bitter Boogie” -> “Daily Blues”, and “Murder of the Universe.”
Following a hit-filled marathon show on 2024-05-22, the band could have gone in a number of directions. They could continue to play hits from their catalog, they could go for some deep cuts with some new experimentation, or they could strike a good blend of the two. King Gizzard seemed to take the third option with their show on 2024-05-23 at AFAS Live in Amsterdam. While the set is filled with many familiar favorites, there are a number of odd and fascinating differences between this show and your standard two-hour Gizz performance. While some songs were played as they’ve always been, others have been completely flipped on their head. It’s a one-of-a-kind show that will certainly hold some staying power.
The show starts normally enough with “Crumbling Castle” > “The Fourth Colour.” The sequence appears as it did on 2024-05-15 with an extended synth section in “Crumbling Castle” and a longer jam within “The Fourth Colour.” Unlike the first “Fourth Colour” however, the band ended up jamming a song they’ll debut later in the set. The song also ends with a nice transition into “Self-Immolate” that features a fantastic solo by Cavs. As always, the band crushes the tune with no huge changes to the structure. “Dragon” follows the fiery “Self-Immolate” for its tenth performance ever — it’s amazing to think that the song has only been played ten times at this point, since it already feels as if it's become a live staple — and this strong performance keeps its reputation high. From here the band went into “Flamethrower” for its third performance. While the album sequence of “Dragon” > “Flamethrower” seems to indicate that the song’s synth solo may be played, the band skipped it and instead chose “Gila Monster” which wrapped up the metal section nicely.
After a move to their microtonal instruments, the band went through a great “Pleura” that, while not deviating from the studio version, provides an incredible example for the song’s power live. Here’s where things get unique. The band improvised an extensive jam that, at first, seems to be a performance of “Sleep Drifter.” If so, it would be the first performance of this (now uncommon) song in 2024. Instead the band ends the jam and pivots to “Rattlesnake.” It’s not a top tier performance per se but it does feature some call and response vocals over the song’s solo, creating a nice layered sound to the track.
The band gets downright confusing with the following sequence: “Wah Wah” > “The River” > “Road Train.” On paper this doesn’t look puzzling but in motion, it is a sprawling jam that goes from one song to another with a lack of definitive ends. “Wah Wah” starts with the intro of “The River” and gets heavy before going right back to the jazzy intro, this time leading into the song proper. This goes as it usually does and ends up at the song’s third verse before suddenly kicking into the final lines of “Wah Wah” and plunging the audience into a heavy performance of “Road Train.” This is the second time the band has played with this sequence this tour, they just removed “Road Train” from the equation on 2024-05-20. Between those two shows, it seems that the band is getting more experimental with this lineup and providing some mind-bending jams.
The next song comes as a surprise: “The Bitter Boogie.” It’s not shocking due to the fact it’s an uncommon song (though it was only played three times in 2023) but due to the way it's played. It started with what seemed like a hint of “Ice V” before Cavs joined in with a “Muddy Water”-like drum beat which the band plays over. Strangely, the band didn't change their rhythm, meaning that they were playing normally while Cavs shook it up. It’s a polyrhythmic boogie! Daring to get weirder, the band jam into a “Truckin’”-type vamp before debuting a new song called “Daily Blues.” This is a bluesy rock song with a number of unique parts, led by Stu with additional vocals from Ambrose, Joey, Cook, and Lucas. As mentioned earlier, this was jammed during “The Fourth Colour” but it was also quoted all the way back on 2024-05-16 during “Straws In The Wind.” The song is done well here and seems to be a good jam, especially with the already mentioned “Truckin’” vamp as well as a riff similar to “Turn On Your Love Light.” Perhaps their twenty-sixth album will have more in common with the Dead than we expect? (By the way, this is the third debut from the new album and the eighth live debut since the EU tour.)
Following the debut, Stu told the audience that they’re running out of time and that the venue will cut the PA off at eleven. The band didn’t stop and instead went into the first performance of “Han-Tyumi and the Murder of the Universe” this year. A killer “Digital Black” kicked it off, though it had some flubbed lyrics. “Han-Tyumi, the Confused Cyborg” and “Soy-Protein Munt Machine” keep the story and pace going before sliding into a great “Vomit Coffin”. A brutal rendition of “Murder of the Universe” ends the show with Stu flinging his guitar around and swinging it like a baseball bat as the band shifts into overdrive. It’s an incredible ending to a show full of surprises.