Coming around to writing this review late, each time I thought about doing so, something came up, and well, here we are a few weeks later with this show about to be streamed on Nugs the day I write this. Que sera sera...

This Chicago run was the first ever multi night run I have ever done for any band. I was supposed to see Phish's NYE run at MSG this last NYE, but my mom gave me COVID for Christmas, so I had to sit that one out. This is to say, by night 3 I had finally established the lifestyle cadence of a multi-night run. Unfortunately weather had other plans, and decided to muck with the best laid plans of Mice and Men...

I had spent the day at the Adler Planetarium, where I caught the Dark Side of the Moon show. When I went to the food court to get lunch I noticed that the slanted glass windows all had water streaking down them... at... well frankly an alarming rate considering I was about to go to an outdoor show. Getting to Salt Shed from the Planetarium was an adventure, as it was still raining (though downgraded to slightly harder than a drizzle at this point), and Uber/Lyft spun for 20+ minutes as everyone in the city was frantically searching for a ride to their afternoon plans. Eventually I got to the venue after a 50+ minute ride (...somehow) with a very nice driver, and just as I started walking into the metal detector in the security line that "slightly harder than a drizzle" turned into a full on downpour. Well, I guess in the words of the salt company that used to own the venue: when it rains... it pours...

In my continuing reporting on Kamikaze Palm Tree for these reviews, this night I felt sad for them. Basically nobody was out in the main concert area for their set. Those who were, were those getting ready for the mosh pit, the most dedicated Gizzers out there. After grabbing food (and lots of water) from various food trucks and water stations, I found a spot under the "Premium Access" balcony with a small bench, where some very nice people kept my spot for me when I ran to the restroom etc. After 2 nights of standing front of soundboard, I was grateful to get a nice, dry seat, and spent most of the show seated. Highly recommend sitting during shows, 10/10 would recommend.

Gizz takes the stage and gives those Moshers what they've been waiting for with a 4 song metal opener, I can only imagine what it must have been like to be in that pit in the rain, but well, staying dry also was nice. Then, the band changed things up with Plastic Boogie, a song Stu acknowledges is "a bit ironic" considering a good 90% of the audience was wearing plastic disposable ponchos. The band briefly toyed with the idea of "playing synths in the rain" before deciding against it, and moving on to an extra tasty Hot Water that slipped seamlessly into Hypertension, a track I really really wanted to catch, as Laminated Denim has quickly become my favorite Gizz album.

Stu calls for a stagehand to unveil the synths and we slide into a slightly synthier than normal This Thing, followed by a jammed out Magenta Mountain that gets pretty dark and heavy. Someone then says "Now it's time to Change things up" and I go "oh shit" and stand up right and witness the debut of Changes.

I've been lucky with debuts, I caught the debut of Lava in '22's Chicago show, 10/15/22 (if you want to catch a Gizz debut, see a show in Chicago when the day is in the teens... hasn't failed for me yet). The band nervously made stage banter to delay the inevitable "we don't know what we're doing", "we should probably stop telling people that", and kicks in to a version of Changes that differs from the original. Some sections seemed moved around, some parts extended, at one point it seems like perhaps Joey missed his cue and it was silent for a moment, but it was glorious. A 17 min debut of their most complex song. The crowd loved it.

Stu wants to move on to a victory lap with The Dripping Tap, but Cookie reminds them that "they have to do his thing first" and we get a by the numbers Garden Goblin, and then Stu gets his 19 minute Dripping Tap. At this point I leave the friends I've made under the balcony and get out there to party for a bit, and also slowly make my way towards the exit of the venue to catch a Lyft before everyone else (this did not work. The rideshare situation at Salt Shed is dire, they think they're being clever with a special road that acts as a Lyft line but they do a piss poor job directing drivers there, and there's so many people that it's difficult to have a phone conversation with your driver to find them... anyway, rant over). It's a fantastic closer, and another song I really wanted to catch. Worth mentioning is much like The River from N1, and the Drum Solo on Self-Immolate on Night 2, we get our third example of their Dead and Company show on 6/10 rubbing off on the boys. A blissed out very Dead-like jam kicks in around the 6 minute mark and lasts for a while before returning back to the composed parts of Dripping Tap. 

And that's it, a fantastic closer to a fantastic 3 night run at The Salt Shed. I grabbed a hot dog from someone slinging them outside, got my ride to my hotel, hung up every piece of clothing I could on the shower curtain to dry and got some sleep. I'm fairly certain the rain did a number on me, as for the next 5 days, I had a bit of a sore throat, but it was well worth it.

In terms of night rankings, I would say 2>3>1, but they really all do have great moments in each. A run so good it made me consider getting plane tickets and cashing in days off to catch the rest of the tour.