10/15/2022 was my first Gizzard show and for what it was I liked it. Was it the best show I heard in person, let alone from my time listening to the band online? Solid no. It was good though.

Radius is an interesting place - an old steel mill turned concert venue. The place was cool though it radiated that industrial vibe. The weather was cold and many in line tried their best to stay warm. Some had even ordered pizza while waiting in line - a strange occurance I've only seen this one time. The inside was dark and loud, even somewhat menacing in a cool sort of way. 

The show was energetic but the thing that holds me back is the setlist which ranges from understandable to strangely obtuse. We start fine with "Venusian 1" and "Venusian 2" - two high energy metal songs. Interestingly and rather unfortunately the Infest the Rats' Nest piece "Perihelion" was left out - which struck me as odd and still strikes me as odd. A missed chance at something truly sepcial. From there the band switch gears entirely into "Slow Jam 1" - a long and slightly meandearing jam follows. "The Grim Reaper" is fun no matter how strange for the band, that's about all I can say. Following this the band got into their microtonal output and we got "Oddlife" which was simply fine. Next was a surprise with Sketches of Brunswick East's "The Book" which once again felt strange. It was a decent performance. Next was arguably the best moment of the show, a good version of "Doom City" with some perfectly timed visuals from Galea. Another surprise followed - the live debut of Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava's "Lava" which was also arguably the best moment of the show featuring a great build up and a truly euphoric payoff. From there the band dipped into Omnium Gatherum with "Ambergris" and "Presumptuous" - both of which were once again just fine. With Leah Senior opening this tour it would be a missed opportunity to not play something from Murder of the Universe so they did precisely that with a decent "The Lord of Lightning vs The Balrog" suite. The band's energy was great, Leah's narration was fitting and the band's build up during "The Lord of Lightning" made me lose my voice. Yet again another contender for best moment. Following that suite the band slowed down and dug into "Iron Lung" which had a smooth feel before going into a cathartic "Float Along - Fill Your Lungs." The show ended there.

I don't get this show. It's composition is understandable looking at it from the outside in regards to flow but the more I think about it - the more questionable the substance is. It's so low in big moments - sometimes alluding to or achieving something huge before breaking it with an honestly lame follow up. For every "Lava" there seemed to be an Oddlife" or "Presumptous." The choice of songs doesn't even feel right. Why "Venusian 1" and "Venusian 2" but not the essential inbetween? Why go for "The Book" and "Oddlife" and not "K.G.L.W." or "Open Water?" It just doesn't sit with me in a way that's hard to explain. It isn't bad and I enjoyed it but this was a strange stop in 2022.

My third show, and my first in a post-Pandemic (and Eric) world. I held on to this ticket for 3 years, having bought it late 2019 for a March 2020 showdate... that was moved to October 2020... that was moved to October 2021... that was moved to October 2022. A seated evening at Sigur Ros a few months prior had opened me up to the idea of being in a crowd of people again, but Radius would be my first big proper show in 3 years.

Radius, like Salt Shed is a reconverted factory turned venue. Radius was a steel mill and they've chosen to keep that vast cavernous interior largely unchanged, adding red lights to give it this demonic night club look that worked well for Gizz. The sound is also crystal clear, with the more intimate act of Leah Senior sounding crisp and clear, as if she was about 3 feet away instead of 60. I found myself front of soundboard with some lovely people who had just come from some other tours this show (whom I kept bumping into as I found myself being slightly pushed back by the crowd all show... if you're out there, sorry!), and a friend from a Phish discord. The live jams from the '19 bootlegger sets, The Dripping Tap and the first two Gizztober releases, the statement from Stu that they were "in their jammy period" all lead to big expectations for me. This would be my first jam band show.

They did not dissapoint. They started things off by following the '19 tour standard of opening with Rats Nest songs, then moved on to Slow Jam 1.

Oh. Man. This Slow Jam 1. It's a must listen. A 15 minute jam that takes the relaxed tone of the composed song, adds some grit to it, and lets it soar. Amby comes in clutch, acting as their Pigpen equivalent with Stu to throw some vocal quips to spice things up. That slowly warps into the lyrics for Iron Lung, but still on the bed of this gritty Slow Jam 1 jam base. Once the quote is done, we dissolve back into the jam which floats along effortlessly before coming back to that core Iron Lung chorus chant... and back towards this jam, which is almost perhaps approaching Type 2 territory, drifting between chill and purposeful to dark and menacing at any moments notice. Switching things up, a return to the chorus for Slow Jam... and back into the jam which builds to a peak, and then smoothly back "doownnnnnnn" into Slow Jam 1. My Phish friend turned to me and said "They're *definitely* a jam band now." I agreed.

It's strange to then say that The Grim Reaper, a fairly energetic track is then the "cooldown" but it acted as such. Oddlife followed up for even more Amby Rap action. The Book, one of the Sketches songs I didn't get at my Sketches Release Tour first show was a welcome addition with a drum solo added on. More Microtonal business follows with Doom City and then we get the debut of Lava, gently jammed out. Joey gets to shine on Ambergris, Amby gets to shine on Presumtuous, and Leah Senior gets to shine on a fully narrated Lord of Lightning suite.

Calling back to the Iron Lung teases in the monster Slow Jam 1, we get Iron Lung, much like Lava only mildly jammed out. And then one more monster jam for the road, a near 16 minute Float Along - FIll Your Lungs that much like Slow Jam 1 gets into some dark, evil menacing soaring territory. Another must listen jam.

One heck of a show.

my first show, most of it hangs out on the dark side

Starts off with the rare combo of Venusian 1, Venusian 2, this show comes out of the gate swinging, both are well played standard versions of under 5 minutes each.  Slow Jam 1 softens things up a bit and develops nicely with some Iron Lung quotes as a jammy vibe develops, stretching the song out to 15:30.  The band is patient, as they work their way back from the Iron Lung quotes, Amby provides a little Chicago shoutout, which gets a crowd response, but straight back into the earlier patient groove.  

Time to cash those cheques.  I was blown away by Grim Reaper at this show, its the first live lasting impression I have of Gizz.  Amby channels his inner Belushi and has the crowd in the palm of his hand.  White pants Aussie power move on full display, and the crowd is BOUNCING, led by Stu.  Oddlife, I really like this one, my live introduction to the banana.  Just forbodding enough to make it dangerous and enticing.  Amby on vocals and the pace quickens and ends in setlist malfunction.  Jimi Hendrix shoutout > The Book.  I appreciate the Oddlife, The Book combo immensely now, at the time, not so much.  The drum solo doesnt do much for me, but it is fun to see the band all get down and watch Cavs.  The drop back into The Book is amazing.  That was nice.

Doom City switches the vibe, but just for 30 seconds. Doom City is such a great song I forgot to make notes.  The debut of Lava, sticky like peanut butter.  starts off with an inspired and meandering opening, i cant remember if the album version is like this.  There is an eerieness to this entire show that is pretty well summed up in that Lava intro.  Its that fine line between danger and excitement, and the risk of getting caught, but just squeaking by, knowing that if you arent hurting anyone and you mean well then its fine.  And it builds, the cycle begins, and the light grows brighter, and its mysticism, and its progress, and its the inevitable. Wrapped up with Stu and Joey facing Cavs, always a good sign.

Ambergris, like a satanic lounge act playing on a cruise ship in hell, on a lake of Lava as mentioned previously in the setlist.  Joey nailed that solo, btw. They tell a story about Woodstock 99 before Preseumpous, but I cant tell what is being said.  The lounge act on the boat from hell is morphing, think caterpillar to butterfly, but who the fuck knows with these guys.  The most danceable groove of the night develops, and Joey summons some 1970's funkateers playing in double time.  Ambys vocals hit just right, the morphing is almost complete, enter the Lord of Lightning .

Leah Senior melds perfectly, and that eerie vibe is back in full force, only to enter a torrential rain, complete with a guy in the sky launching nonagon lightening bolts down on anyone unluckey enough to be below.  Lightning!  Woooooo!

enter The Balrog, the guitar lick before they go into it proper is great.  I really disliked this song at first, but its grown on me alot.  Well played version, Stu gets some nice guitar moves going.  This is 1 of only 2 with Narration by Leah, and its a fairly rare song to begin with.  A little trapdoor tease before it ends?

Iron Lung, only the 7th time played but already well on its way to being a setlist anchor, clocks in at 11:32, and just when you think things are back to normal, the eeireness is back curtesy Amby's vocal delivery and surrounding chaos, slowly workling its way back to the chorus? like the chaos of the last 4 minutes never happened.  great ending, great earlyish version of the song

FAFYL - The longest song of the night at 15:51, brings a finality with it.  Its a recap of the eerie and bizarre story we just witnessed.  But the perspective is of hope for the future, and is undoubtedly uplifting, in sharp contrast to almost everything else played tonight.  This is all the sunlight pouring out at once, its the final effort, twisting and turning, convulsing.  The translation of some deep cosmic stream of information, needing to be refined and translated.  Twisting knobs, pulling leavers, knowing you are not in control, and being unable to say no. Float Along Fill Your Lungs.  Breathe a Deep Breath.  the spaceship has landed.  done.

This is a masterfully written setlist, but I could definately see why people would avoid this show.  There is a multicam video of this show, and 2 audio sources.  I had this video on youtube, it is no longer there