Near the beginning of this show Joey - with his eternal cosmic wisdom - stated something along the lines of "this is one for the history books." While I don't know if 6/13/2023 will be a Red Rocks '22 level event, it will certainly go down in history as a very solid and intriguing show.

The conditions of 6/13/2023 were challenging to put it lightly. The Chicago residency's weather was hit and miss and the final night was arguably the worst. Most of the day the Weirdo Swarm was met with harsh rain and a semi-occuring wind. Many fans hid in the Salt Shed's various buildings but the adventurous stayed outside at the stage or hid under umbrellas eating and drinking. In some ways it was surprising that Gizz decided not to move indoors but by the time they got on the weather had begin to pass and they made it clear that they were energized.

We start with a bang with a sampling of the band's metal works with a "Gila Monster" that worked the crowd, a "Converge" that could break some necks and "Planet B" and "Mars For the Rich" giving Infest fans exactly what they were searching for. However where one might guess that another metal tune like "Hell" would come up next, we ended up getting an unexpected "Plastic Boogie" which was as heavy as it was surprising. Following this the band debated whether it was time for a synth set but due to the weather they decided to hold off. Stu grabs his trusty flute and begins "Hot Water" which is a delightful, crowd pleasing romp but as the song winds down he picks up his Yamaha and begins the Laminated Denim banger "Hypertension." This song has always been a highlight in their live shows since it's debut and 6/13 was no different. While Galea worked the visuals giving the band a familiar yet chaotic backdrop, Gizzard shot for the sun and went there with insane highs that stood out during the residency. The Joey fronted track "This Thing" was next and won over everyone especially by it's ending groove. "Magenta Mountain" was next and was a crowd pleaser. Next however was what set this show apart from everything before it - the live debut of their ten minute jazz opus "Change." Admittedly I can't say this was as well performed as the rest of the songs as it felt at times like a true work in progress tune - which is something the band essentially admitted beforehand. It's a long song with many changes. That said it was a big moment of the show and ultimately one of my favorites due to it's gravity. Afterwards Gizzard gets sidetracked and almost plays their final song before correcting and allowing Cook to sing the lovable Omnium ditty "The Garden Goblin" which the band got just right. Finally the band wrapped up with a killer version of "The Dripping Tap" which had fans crowdsurfing throughout its entire duration.

6/13/2023 was a show that might be legendary for those who decided to face the weather rather than blame it. There was no mud like Woodstock '99 but what fans got was a great set that covered just about anything you could ask for on this tour. A perfect, fun yet uncomfy end to the ordeal that was Chicago '23.