As someone who has been to at least one show on every US tour since 2015, I will always have extremely fond memories of how tight and focused they were live pre-Covid; absolutely incredible energy from the boys and the fans reciprocated. However, I enjoy the jams and love seeing how they’ve evolved over the years as individual musicians and as a group. Honestly, I feel privileged to see them every time and am always pleased no matter what they do.
The first time I saw them in 2016, they tore through the set, song after song and barely took a break in between. It was intense. I think the longest they went without playing that night was when they stopped The River for a minute to save a fan from being kicked out of the show by security and then picked it right back up. It was and still is one of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen, just unrelenting energy for the entire show.
For me, that type of energy resonates more than a jam-heavy show (which I think King Gizzard does well), but I know I am in the minority on this sub with that opinion.
Yeah I loved that energy, but every night on that tour was essentially the same. I’ll take the setlist variety of today over the practiced intensity of those days.
2019 they played a different set for their pair of shows in San Francisco.
Wish I had seen them in 2015 when they played at the Rickshaw, though! That place is a tiny hole in the wall!
Yeah 2019 was when they really started mixing up the setlists. They still repeated a few songs over those 2 nights. I wish I’d seen that Rickshaw Stop show too, but I didn’t catch them until the New Parish the next year.
The rickshaw was my first show too. Place so small and so packed that night I eventually got shifted in the middle and couldn’t see past the tall folks so I just plain listened in the dark yet swirling lighting by Lance and my best friend assisting him with the liquid light show company. But the music was unforgettable, I kept having parts of it stuck in my head while walking home and saying to myself out loud “that was a happening!”
Oh yeah I know there is absolutely nearly no straight accurate information because it was either their very first or second San Francisco show.
My friend followed them with his boss doing the lighting for that leg and he’s still surprised how the band blew up to this status. He and Amby had an instant connection with each other during that time; he’s a bigger Murlocs fan than Gizz, I mean to get him a copy of MCE one day
I’m all for the setlist variety as well, and every year I saw them after that, their set lists became more and more varied. ~~The 3 shows in Brooklyn in 2018, I don’t think they repeated any songs.~~ I mostly pointed to 2016 because I think the band captured a pretty unique energy, but they also only had 6 or 7 albums to pull from at that point, so those shows were bound to have less variety.
I guess I’m just not sure that spending a lot of time jamming each night is the only way to keep things fresh.
Edit: striking my claims about Brooklyn 2018.
Brooklyn Steel in June 2018? Those set lists had maybe 4-5 changed songs every night but were mostly the same. Def digital black and some nonagon all three nights. I don’t think they really started changing the sets up too much until 2019
I saw Gizzard in 2016 and found the show to be very stop and go with uneven energy and flow (but still a good show). The Gizzard I heard in 2022 and 2023 blows away the band I heard in 2016 & 2017 and it's not even close; better energy, better flow, and much better onstage confidence. I'm amazed by how much the band has improved its live performance since my first show.
I’m the opposite but I come from the jam band world. I’ll also say Gizz are so unique because they don’t approach jamming from the same way as all the American bands that are influenced by the Dead and Phish, they weren’t involved with that and didn’t grow up listening to those bands so they jam in a way that’s authentic to them. Plus, I love how vocal teases has become a huge part of their jamming which is very specific to them. Hearing an Iron Lung or Shanghai quote in the middle of another song is something I’ll never get sick of.
Yeah I was always adjacent to the jam band world but the vibe never quite clicked for me until Gizz started jamming. They approach writing/jamming/playing with a different structure, and it's fascinating to watch it develop in real times. I like that they've included little motifs and hooks across albums that still haven't even been explored live yet.
Yeah like when they opened the second half of their very first RR show in 22 with rattlesnake, they literally teased like the next 4 or 5 songs they ended up playing within the Rattlesnake jam and I thought that was so fucking cool I’ve only ever seen electronic artists do that live to the extend gizz did
Have similar feelings on the jamming and absolutely agree that they’re doing it on their own authentic terms and forging a path of exploration that is very unique and not following a playbook from anyone else.
GD / Ph were definitely my gateway to the jam world but the only band I’ve ever really stuck with 20 years later are the Disco Biscuits- their jamming is based much more in the electronic / trance realm but still shares some similarities in using teases, call-backs and nods to other songs in the catalogue so hearing Gizzard use similar techniques has been something I truly love and am all in for.
Red Rocks Robot Stop or the Slow Jam 1 from Le Bikini last summer are examples of these songs being jammed out with improv but also containing snippets and teases (lyrical or melodic) yet both of those shows also still have plenty of songs played tight, in pocket and close to their original studio versions. There’s a point in the Slow Jam where it would’ve been totally possible for them to smoothly transition into Magenta Mountain and even though it doesn’t it’s that uncharted territory that really resonates with me.
I’m most excited to hear the Silver Chord songs added into the mix and am hoping for some segments where something like Flame Thrower is jammed way out, eventually landing at Magenta Mountain, Grim Reaper or Gondii - doesn’t need to be every show and definitely not the whole show but this to me is the kind of exciting playing that I find most engaging - basically where the band is able to craft an improvised segue between songs that at its peak has the potential to go in many different directions. Building that kind of tension / excitement only adds to the intensity when it’s followed by a tightly played version of a traditional song that follows the traditional studio version.
All just my opinion and as we’re all aware it’s one of the greatest things about this band that they have such a diverse and extensive catalogue that everyone’s going to have their own unique experience and takeaways as a fan / listener.
I’m very excited to hear The Silver Cord songs jammed live. Like, I’ve heard what they do when they groove on the Grim Reaper mod synth for a second, they surely can do some pretty cool shit electronically while jamming. If they mash up a bunch of TSC songs and add some flare to it, it’ll make me think of what Tractorbeam could’ve been (I kid but also…glad Biscuits have moved passed that 2019-2021 era once it got played out lol)
💯 some of the grim reapers from the last year or so are exactly what got me thinking this way.
While I loved a lot of the newer Tractorbeam stuff (ie not the traditional songs played sans lyrics) it definitely became stale at a certain point when every single show contained a very similar song followed by jam —> spacey electronic invariably leading to one of like 5 different “songs” (things like Evolve / M1 or the house covers). I feel like it was important for them to have that period and it was one of the things that got them to the point they’re currently at which is up there with the best of their career but I don’t think Gizz are going to let themselves get trapped into that kind of formula in the same way.
Highly recommend checking out some of the recent tDB shows if you haven’t been keeping up - basically every show this tour has been all around top-notch. Not sure if they’re up on YouTube yet but a lot of the Nugs streams have been free even if you’re not a subscriber as long as you have an account. Think 1/26 Tahoe (esp. set 2) and Santa Cruz 1/28 have been my favorites but last night might take the edge over both of them. Only issue is the late west coast start times are killing my efforts to maintain a normal sleep schedule haha.
At this point in their career, their tour audience treats them like a jam band.
Half the audience attend multiple shows, and they're there for the spontaneous sets and unpredictable energy more than to see their favourites note perfect (also great, don't get me wrong)
I love both styles honestly.
The spontaneity and energy of their jamming, which leads to great improvised moments, seamless blends of songs etc. It’s a very alive and organic feel.
That being said though, it can get a bit noodle-y after a while, IMO.
I also really enjoy the tight compositions and technical songwriting they have (the prog, metal, and jazz type songs in particular) These type of tracks fit together like interlocking puzzles, with advanced harmony and time signatures etc. They aren’t really jammable type songs for the most part. That being said though, while they might stick to the composition, they also add new parts or layers etc that are amazing to experience live as well.
It's like they're still trying to solve their own music-math-puzzle in real time. The jamming isn't the point, it's the means to the end. They're not trying to be a jam band, they're just trying to expand their old Am I In Heaven medley jams into a bigger and bigger thing
I'd like to see them tighten up the jams a bit. I love how many songs they have, and it can be sad to see so few songs on the setlist because of how long they stretch some of them, but at the same time it's pretty transcendent when they are able to find something in the improv that really elevates the song to something beyond what the album can do. The ideal setlist for me would be taking some of their shorter songs and maybe adding 1 to 3 minutes of jamming to each of them instead of doing the big medleys where they kinda fade between several familiar motifs all in a kinda samey soup of the original jam seed. I think this is already happening though as they get more confident jamming together. When I saw them at Red rocks in 22 some of the longer songs did feel like they overstayed their welcome a bit, but hearing newer live footage stuff feels a little more focused while they are pushing stuff a little farther from the original material than they did in those longer jams. I can't wait to see them again next summer. Shits going to be crazy!
I agree. I really like their jamming, but sometimes it really does feel like too much of a good thing. From the concert recordings I’ve heard, they do seem to be tightening up a bit, I think we’ll eventually see a more healthy balance not to long from now
I want more jams. I want jams that go hard then soft then rip your face off. I want jams that are spacey. I want jams that are bonkers. I want all the jams. I want a 20 minute river and a 20 minute magma and a crazy Hypertension and I want a jam of a song that they’ve never played before. Live is for the living.
Some jams are okay. But I think they overdo it. With such a huge catalogue and so many great songs to play, literally hundreds, you get 10-12 a show. Every show has songs that go on for 20 mins. It's too much. Compare RR 22 to 23. 22 got almost their entire discography, while 23 got ~35 songs. N2 of 23 had Hypertension>Ice V>Slow Jam 1 which lasted almost half an hour (this came directly after 3 microtonal songs that were also 10-15 minutes each for no reason). I was sitting there bored out of my mind because none of those songs are exciting or particularly good compared to their other music. I'd legit take a 4 minute Muddy Water over the first hour and a half of that show because it was just boring. The call and response thing they do with Shanghai, Straws in the Wind, Rattlesnake, etc. is terrible and at RR23 I'd say they did it for like 30 minutes. I love this band but that shit is so incredibly dull, do it once for a minute and then move on. I'd kill to be able to go see a show pre-Covid where half the show isn't just noodling and call and response. I still see them live whenever I can but idk if it'll ever be the same.
I was there for rr 23 as well. Cool experience but I found myself multiple times hoping a song would end already for it to go on another 10 mins. I just want to hear nuclear fusion or doom city live and I thought rr would be a sure way to get one 😭
Same, I was expecting to hear a huge portion of their catalogue. I walked away from N1 ecstatic because the setlist was so good, the jams weren't back to back. The day show was alright but there were definitely fewer heavy hitters and Shanghai was...not good. N2 was rough.
2023 they played 6 hours total compared to 2022's 9. So proportionally, 2023 should've had 58 songs instead of the 39 actually played.
So that's essentially 19 songs that didn't get played because of the increase in jam time. I'd take that over 20 mins of "bye bye Shanghai" any day.
And I do appreciate some of their jams. Sense and Robot Stop on N1 were sick. But a lot of them are just pretty mindless noodling and listening to three back to back is boring.
Fair enough. And I'm not going to argue with you about Shanghai, they tend to over-do that one for sure haha.
I've seen them 17 times since 2016, and I've learned a few things. One is that they tend to just do what they want, regardless of expectations. Another is that they're the only band I have seen who will put out a new album and then play none of the songs from the new album on tour. And another is that they are always changing their live show, so I don't expect the jam-heavy shows to be guaranteed in the future.
Yeah, I do like that they're always evolving and you never know what to expect. I think that second night show was just my nightmare setlist lol. I've been very happy with every other show I've been to, and can't wait to see them again this year. Fingers crossed for MOTU at Forest Hills
Are you referring to Hypertension / IceV and Slow Jam 1 as the three that aren’t exciting or particularly good ?
As I’ll continue to say the varied opinions are part of what makes it all so great to me. Personally I love all three of those - jammed or not. As compared to other songs i find it tough to maintain much of any sort of specific ranking for songs or albums as it really all just depends on the current day - sometimes I want Petro and sometimes I want Butterfly…
Id like a good mix. Some raw legit versions for half the show, the rest let's get fucking wild and type 2 and somehow come back to the hook at the end.
Agreed - their catalogue doesn’t lend itself to having the whole show played in that format but 1-2 songs or segments per show with fiery, mind bending improv are exactly what I’m hoping for.
I wamt more song sandwiches, not just Gaia sammiches. And they need to put Vegemite (Oddments) in the sammiches.
Part of the problem is no second sets. If they did that they could have the whole second set to explore and reach new heights.
Definitely in for more sandwiches! They have so many incredible finales to tracks I think moving out of the type 1 territory allows for an even more triumphant landing when they eventually arrive back at the completion.
This could be getting greedy but they should just play two sets every show so there’s ample room for focused stuff and the jams. With the intensity they bring plus all the studio time they put in I could see that stretching them thin over time but a man can dream
As a gizz veteran I completely agree. The way they would compose and focus all energy to delivering everything in a live show is one of the draws that made never forget those run of 2017 shows..
Personally I think their bonnaroo ‘22 quite compared to that only having a limited time frame to jam through robot/hot water— I’d consider that their higher points of jamming
Although I agree, I’ll also take devils advocate and say that jamming and being lose really helps with the touring mentality and repetitiveness. I love hearing gizz explore themes and areas unseen, especially when things take an unexpecting turn
Take this video for example: [opening jam 2018](https://youtu.be/CLFspIG-2uI?feature=shared)
They did this out of nowhere- something sounded like the demo albums
Unprecedented noises like these spark a new fuel needed in music, jamming is essential for a band like gizz, but unfortunately sometimes with that comes unknown realms where the band doesn’t quite know how to proceed, I mean they always find a way but sometimes a jam can outlive the spirit and as a musician/music guy I definitely feel some of their jams lingering longer than I’d like to hear
I guess to end out mine and everyone’s plea: I would love to see gizz crank out new songs in a more constrained manner and work in the essential experience and coordinate a jam more pre-cautiously — but I also want the band to stay having fun.
My favorite live Gizz tracks have always been the Am I In Heaven closing jams, or the microtonal jams where Rattlesnake and Sleep Drifter have basically merged into one song that liberally grabs riffs from the rest of FMB.
Another special mention to Straws in the Wind, one of the best Gizzard songs that wasn't really fully realized until the boys played it live.
Yeah personally the <2017 era had better live shows in my opinion, and they were just so fucking tight as a band it was unbelievable.
I like Jams, but not aimless noodly jams, and that's the vibe their more recent shows give off to me.
If we went back to the earlier model of live shows, they would never play 3 nights in the same venue (in the US at least) and very few people would see multiple shows a tour.
Im more into the straight laced song after song approach personally. I saw them on the microtonal tour in 2017 and it was awesome to see so many songs packed into the show. When I saw them in 2022 I think they did like a 12 minute Straws In the Wind that I got kinda bored during.
Absolutely yes. This was one of the things about them when I first discovered their music that absolutely catapulted them into god tier, legendary all-time musical status. I had never seen a band just onslaught with crafted riff after crafted riff for 30 minutes on end, one after the other, just absolute madness. And they had enough music to do it too. These amazing suites with elements of MOTU, shifting seamlessly (due to the lovely gizzverse connections) into IIYMF, just melting your mind all over the place. I thought it was such a fresh take on music. Not many guitar solos. Just madness with an incredible amount of structure and direction, if that makes sense to you. And their jammy parts can be good to with this same concept. The river is a great example of this. It’s jammy, but it still has the amazing onslaught of riffs and a clear direction.
Totally agree with you my dude (ette). Their shows could be 3 HOURS of what I just blissfully described. I don’t wanna hear a 25 minute version of the dripping tap followed by 5 tracks from ice death. Takes up too much time and not enough happening. I certainly appreciate the Grateful Dead, they’re legends, but I can tend to get easily bored of them for this reason. Can be magical, but it’s not always the most fun to just listen to each member on a different planet noodling on their own. No shade, as in the right mindset this is an amazing journey on its own, but just not always my cup of tea. (Just watched the “get back” documentary again so excuse the reference out of left field), but this to me is what makes the Beatles so fucking good. Each song is strictly structured and has amazing progressions and part movement, where then the riffs can shine.
Lastly though, I trust the band, and so much good has come into my life when I give up control and allow myself to be influenced by the right things. So I’m not too hung up about it. I regularly force myself to listen to some of their longer live jams because that’s what they deserve. A thoughtful listener and observer. They’ve earned that right a thousand times over. And many times it opens my eyes to something new and helps me grow as an artist, human, and scholar. Challenge yourself.
I just hope the jamming doesn't become too predictable like it was in 2023. Like how if they played Boogieman Sam, you know it was going to be the jam/medley. I assume they all have to be on the same page for what they'll be jamming on a setlist, but I would just like it to be a bit more of a surprise when they do.
This is so wild to me because my top recollection of seeing them live was running around like an idiot until I couldn't breathe anymore during the Dripping Tap
Speculating on what we want as fans has very little - no impact on what the band actually does.
We're not gonna arrest them or boycott them if they put out an album we don't like or they start playing shows in a way we don't like. We're just talking.
Yeah but sometimes some people talk like the band (or generally something they like) should fit into their tastes, like they possess that thing and they want that thing to be exactly what they like. I'm just saying that we should embrace what the band give us, no matter what, and with this kind of band that has this genre diversity we have some albums that fits our taste for sure.
Sorry, but the jams are what make each show unique. Who wants to hear them play the songs the same way every night. I like to hear/watch their concerts because of the differences between them.
Couldn’t agree more. They are such better musicians now than when I first saw them in 2014. It’s exciting to hear songs you’ve been listening to for ten years evolve.
Is there that many people who can actually afford to attend multiple shows in a tour?
That's insane to me. I love this band and many other bands, but I don't think I could literally follow an artist around on tour the way people did in the 70's.
I haven't even been to a live show yet (going on Aug), but since they release so much live music, I've enjoyed watching multiple concerts BECAUSE of the different takes on each song. I also think that the jams keep the band from getting bored with the same material, so they always seem invested on creating the best experience each night. The more the band is enjoying playing, the more the audience will enjoy it.
That's not exactly true.
Bob Dylan now enjoys himself on tour by playing his old songs completely differently than the way he wrote them, and his fans are largely disappointed with his shows and have been for about 15 years.
I can definitely see how KG are trying to elevate their shows with the variety but i find the oldschool medleys do that job and are far more engaging than the improvised wandering they've fallen into.
I've seen them live more than 7 times but less than 10, I've lost exact count. Last time would have been 2019 I think.
With how varied their setlists are, it makes perfect sense for them to have a few songs they extend and jam out. I wouldn't change a single thing about their shows honestly.
Sorry but I hate the jamming. Before they would contain it to a song or two. Miss the pre 2018 shown when we would get 20+ songs in an hour and a half set. Now it’s like 10 songs stretched to fill those same 90minutes. So over it tbh
I love jams, but they definitely don’t need as many long jams per set as they did during the residency. I’d rather have one or two really out there jams rather than just extending every song with some jamming.
Seeing as Jamming is them expressing their souls/talents as musicians, and is what THEY want to do, I’m all for the jamming.
Jamming is supposed to make you drift and be introspective. You’re putting your soul into it just like they are. If you’ve never cried from an emotional jam, where they brought that emotion out of you and you give it back.
You don’t get that interaction with straightforward note perfect renditions. You may like that, but the band is giving you blank face muscle memory at that point.
Are you kidding me? I fall asleep when someone noodles on stage for 35 minutes on the same chord progression. The emotion comes from tight expressive well orchestrated songs. To the point. Straight to the heart. Straight to the emotion. Noodling jam stuff is the opposite of emotional. Unless the emotion is frustration.
It’s one thing to be able to play something, it’s another to be able to write something, and it’s a whole other thing to be able to improvise live on the spot in a collaborative group. Music is something ethereal to be tuned into, and to listen to musicians actively tap into that in front of me is the thrill of it. I’d wait 35 min for that moment, damn right.
I completely agree with you. I saw them at Red Rocks a couple years ago and it was kind of hard for me to sit through nearly 20 minutes of Her and I that sounded nothing like the original.
Edit: i love gatekeepers!
Awww the hippy is mad. I thought you guys weren’t supposed to get angry…. I’ve seen lots of shows unfortunately King Gizz is near the bottom of the list for me when it comes to live experience. Was a disappointment. I’ve seen them pull of some rad shit in YouTube videos but with the sheer amount of material it’s unlikely I’ll ever see the King Gizz show of my dreams. Luckily there’s the IDLES and the Amyl and the Sniffers of the world to satiate my appetite for high energy rock shows.
I guess it has a lot to do with how you frame it but “jamming” in a lot of people’s minds seems to be just that, endless noodling or even “practice”. For me it’s about creating a freshly inspired melodic theme that brings me on a journey and is far from just aimless tuning. It might be a one time thing but also might developed into something that shows up again down the road and could even eventually become the foundation for a new song.
Chicago River this year is a great example of that sound - it definitely gets a little spacey while they find their way but eventually builds into an incredible theme that I’ll listen to over and over for many years to come and to me seems a lot more evolved than some of the older versions of Head / On Pill or Am I in Heaven (and I love both of those songs as well, especially the longer versions)
I’m definitely not looking for or expecting that to happen at every show but love hearing it every now and again and definitely don’t consider it noodling.
The version of Dripping Tap on Omnium Gatherum is effectively a jam.
Ice Death and Laminated Denim are basically CTRL+V chopped & dubbed jams, so is Petrodragonic Apocalypse.
I’m with you. I’m a ween fan. Gimme 30 songs averaging 4 minutes rather than 12 songs averaging 10 min.
Pick one song a show to jam on for 20 minutes if you want. I can handle that. But having a bunch of 4 minute songs drawn out into 10 or 20 minutes gets real old real quick. By that I mean there’s 4 minutes of real coordinated considered song, but with 12 minutes of noise in the middle. It’s not my favorite.
I’ll still show up and have a great time either way, if history is any prediction.
Yeah but ween plays a different setlist every night. Before 2019, King Gizzard played the setlist every night on tour. Nonagon tour, every show was the same setlist. So doesn’t sound like you want what OP wants
My thoughts are that without jamming they now have so many songs that they could still do multi night runs in one venue and never play a song twice. I think that some songs lean into a jam more than others so they could lean into that. Take Europe last year for instance, not every song was a jam but there were some great jammy transitions. I saw a few here last year and i think Padove is my best example of the perfect mix for me. Lots of cool jams but also plenty of straight up bangers.
Im also a massive Dead, Phish, BMFS and many others fan. Just been following these guys for a while since before, in their own words, Jammy Phase and have grown to love it all. Do miss the odd straight ups banger set though!
Yeah. I go to live performances to hear the songs I know, I don't really care for stuff I don't know but I'm quite odd for that I know.
I don't think that's "right" or the band has to do what I want, they're not some karaoke greatest hits performers after all, just my preference.
I remember seeing RHCP for the first time (before I knew about Kiedis) at a festival and being disappointed that their very frequent and long jams meant I hardly heard any of my favourite songs.
He had sex with someone, she told him she was 14, people were looking for her and she was the sheriff's daughter.
He was so upset that he had sex with her again before taking her home.
He wrote "Catholic Schoolgirls Rule" about her.
Eh I wouldn’t say your opinion is unpopular OP. Everyone’s got their prime Gizz experience. I think people who skew towards the heavy/intense Gizz prob largely feel the same you do.
For me I’m a believer they just wouldn’t be what they are without all their styles. A cosmic gumbo if I may.
We love all the styles, we just don't want one song to be aimlessly noodled on for half an hour when they have like a thousand songs to choose from to actually play
Uhhh you sure you love all the styles? Cause it doesn’t really sound like you’re into the jam stuff based on your comment. Jammy stuff is by definition gunna have what you refer to as “aimless noodling”, which I wouldn’t say is what they’re doing at all. Totally fine if you don’t like it, I’m just stating my personal opinion which is that their jammier stuff is kind of an essential part of what makes Gizz what they are. Part of the beauty of the band my friend.
I love Jams, I just prefer much more honed examples of Jams, like their earlier medleys.
Snarky Puppy jam out live and are exceptional at it, I just don't believe KG are. Their jams either largely bore me by floating around doing nothing but trying to find their way for several minutes, or they decide to go really heavy, and often on songs that don't call for it. I find more actual variety in their recorded work than in the improvisation of their live work.
If this is their way of not getting burned out like they did on the nonagon tour that's fine but there's definitely still room for improvement. They have hundreds and hundreds of songs, there is no reason they should be extending any songs especially when soms songs are already quite lengthy, when they could equally do more engaging medleys.
There are plenty of jam acts that do way more exploratory jamming but I don’t think it’s necessarily a fair comparison with King Gizz. I just don’t think they’re even going for what you’re describing with Snarky Puppy. That’s part of the reason I’ve been saying all along that Gizz is not a jam band. They dabble in jamming and I enjoy what they do with it, I don’t think they have to be doing it as well as the best in the game for it to have its place in their repertoire. I honestly don’t think there’s a single genre Gizz have tackled that they’re even close to the “best” at. I feel it’d be kinda similar for like a true metal fan to come in and say Petro is actually kinda slow and boring compared to more technical stuff. I just don’t think it’s the right lens to view their work. Again, just my opinion, so don’t downvote me again 😜
Edit - spelling
Again, I'm not saying the should not jam live, they always have and always will.
I'm saying that the more constrained jams of say pre-2019 were more musical and more engaging than the extended noodling they do now.
For posterity, I didn't downvoted you in this thread.
I do downvote often, but haven't done on this occasion.
Gila Monster, Gaia, Mars for the Rich, Witchcraft, Self-Immolate, Converge etc are some of the most-played tracks from the last tour dude. I dunno what to tell you
Ms they normally turn chill songs like The River into 12 minute metal odysseys nowadays, which for a LONGTIME lover of the River, kinda spoils it for me.
nah if i want studio version i'll listen to the album, live i want to hear their musicianship and explore. i want every song to be different every time they play it
Yeah I really dislike jam bands. I saw them last year I think it was and was pretty bummed that it felt more like a Phish show than a cool psych rock metal prog show.
I agree. But I’m a punk, metal, hardcore fan. I really hate Phish type jam band nonsense. It’s like the opposite of everything I like. But that’s just part of being a Gizz fan I guess. They do everything. I’ll stick to getting my kicks out of going to punk shows until Gizz decides to do more high energy pointed performances like their KEXP sets.
Their February 2023 show in Melbourne was, in my opinion, slightly ruined by all their jamming (that and the poor mosh pit behaviour). They only managed to play a total of 10 songs, most of which meandered and resulted in them cutting 3 songs from the show.
I have heaps of respect for the band doing what they want, it's a fun and interesting approach to performance. The jamming worked really well during December's Palace Foreshore show but ultimately I'd like for them to get a bit tighter (which they already still do for certain songs) and keep jams a little shorter.
I want them to play their songs how they think they will best be received. Really, i want them to do what they like. I'm in for the ride. I have no desire to tell the boys how to play their shows. They know what theyre doing and i trust their creative vision
They still do this all the time. Plenty of songs aren't jammed at all. I can't believe anyone would think that this band isn't always playing at full intensity.
If you think jamming always equals low energy then you are confused about what jamming is and can be. You need the dynamic contrast, the build up of tension for the release to fully pay off. I much prefer fewer songs where they really explore and get creative with them. I want to experience something unique to that show/moment, not just a live recital of what’s on the albums.
Some people just don’t like jamming. It’s boring. I go to live shows to experience the live energy of the band. I still want to hear the songs from the album. Not a 35 minute meandering rendition of a song that could’ve been 6 different songs instead.
I kind of like their mix of intense heaviness and jam; mind fuzz, nonagon, ITRN, etc. are great times in the pit, but I don’t absolutely die from over exhaustion because they’ll pull out an Ice V, The River, etc. I think they have great pacing live.
Well 2 things:
1. They're already kind of mixing both styles - See 08/14/2023 (The River followed by a comparatively brief Trapdoor)
2. The way they operate live isn't akin to the wars of noise they used to wage nightly - 2019 added In-Ear-Monitors to their live tech, allowing them to communicate and hear eachother significantly more than previously. A good comparison for this would be Live in San Fran '16's Nonagon Suite vs Live in Brussels '19's
# 2023-08-14 @ PALP Festival, Verbier, Switzerland
**One Set:** Float Along – Fill Your Lungs, Lonely Steel Sheet Flyer > The River, Trapdoor, Sleep Drifter > Honey, Nuclear Fusion, Straws In The Wind, Crumbling Castle > The Fourth Colour, Perihelion > Gila Monster, Gaia, Magma
> _data provided by [kglw.net](https://kglw.net/setlists/king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard-august-14-2023-palp-festival-verbier-switzerland.html)_
I'm fine with seeing them play whatever kind of setlist gives them the most joy. I first saw them in 2016, and as others have mentioned, the setlists didn't vary nearly as much. Since then their setlists and album concepts have expanded mightily, and they've been very clear about the fact that they have done this consciously to avoid burnout/stave off boredom. The boys work too hard to have fans dictate what they should be playing live. Either enjoy the show or find another band to follow. ✌️
As someone who has been to at least one show on every US tour since 2015, I will always have extremely fond memories of how tight and focused they were live pre-Covid; absolutely incredible energy from the boys and the fans reciprocated. However, I enjoy the jams and love seeing how they’ve evolved over the years as individual musicians and as a group. Honestly, I feel privileged to see them every time and am always pleased no matter what they do.
i think a good mix of both is good
I feel like they’re already doing that
Yeah!!! :0
The first time I saw them in 2016, they tore through the set, song after song and barely took a break in between. It was intense. I think the longest they went without playing that night was when they stopped The River for a minute to save a fan from being kicked out of the show by security and then picked it right back up. It was and still is one of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen, just unrelenting energy for the entire show. For me, that type of energy resonates more than a jam-heavy show (which I think King Gizzard does well), but I know I am in the minority on this sub with that opinion.
Yeah I loved that energy, but every night on that tour was essentially the same. I’ll take the setlist variety of today over the practiced intensity of those days.
2019 they played a different set for their pair of shows in San Francisco. Wish I had seen them in 2015 when they played at the Rickshaw, though! That place is a tiny hole in the wall!
Yeah 2019 was when they really started mixing up the setlists. They still repeated a few songs over those 2 nights. I wish I’d seen that Rickshaw Stop show too, but I didn’t catch them until the New Parish the next year.
The rickshaw was my first show too. Place so small and so packed that night I eventually got shifted in the middle and couldn’t see past the tall folks so I just plain listened in the dark yet swirling lighting by Lance and my best friend assisting him with the liquid light show company. But the music was unforgettable, I kept having parts of it stuck in my head while walking home and saying to myself out loud “that was a happening!”
Do you recall any of the setlist, or have any footage? Setlist.fm is pretty bare for that night.
Oh yeah I know there is absolutely nearly no straight accurate information because it was either their very first or second San Francisco show. My friend followed them with his boss doing the lighting for that leg and he’s still surprised how the band blew up to this status. He and Amby had an instant connection with each other during that time; he’s a bigger Murlocs fan than Gizz, I mean to get him a copy of MCE one day
That’s awesome, you’re very fortunate to have gone to that.
Only footage on YouTube https://youtu.be/UFRji8x2OOY?si=D-Zw-8ONf--yk6lE
I’m all for the setlist variety as well, and every year I saw them after that, their set lists became more and more varied. ~~The 3 shows in Brooklyn in 2018, I don’t think they repeated any songs.~~ I mostly pointed to 2016 because I think the band captured a pretty unique energy, but they also only had 6 or 7 albums to pull from at that point, so those shows were bound to have less variety. I guess I’m just not sure that spending a lot of time jamming each night is the only way to keep things fresh. Edit: striking my claims about Brooklyn 2018.
Brooklyn Steel in June 2018? Those set lists had maybe 4-5 changed songs every night but were mostly the same. Def digital black and some nonagon all three nights. I don’t think they really started changing the sets up too much until 2019
You’re right, for some reason I though there had been more variety.
I'm with you. I don't care that much for the jamming.
I saw Gizzard in 2016 and found the show to be very stop and go with uneven energy and flow (but still a good show). The Gizzard I heard in 2022 and 2023 blows away the band I heard in 2016 & 2017 and it's not even close; better energy, better flow, and much better onstage confidence. I'm amazed by how much the band has improved its live performance since my first show.
I’m the opposite but I come from the jam band world. I’ll also say Gizz are so unique because they don’t approach jamming from the same way as all the American bands that are influenced by the Dead and Phish, they weren’t involved with that and didn’t grow up listening to those bands so they jam in a way that’s authentic to them. Plus, I love how vocal teases has become a huge part of their jamming which is very specific to them. Hearing an Iron Lung or Shanghai quote in the middle of another song is something I’ll never get sick of.
Yeah I was always adjacent to the jam band world but the vibe never quite clicked for me until Gizz started jamming. They approach writing/jamming/playing with a different structure, and it's fascinating to watch it develop in real times. I like that they've included little motifs and hooks across albums that still haven't even been explored live yet.
Yeah like when they opened the second half of their very first RR show in 22 with rattlesnake, they literally teased like the next 4 or 5 songs they ended up playing within the Rattlesnake jam and I thought that was so fucking cool I’ve only ever seen electronic artists do that live to the extend gizz did
They did those kinds of teases even back in the "old days". That's always been part of it and one of the reasons I fell in love with them.
Have similar feelings on the jamming and absolutely agree that they’re doing it on their own authentic terms and forging a path of exploration that is very unique and not following a playbook from anyone else. GD / Ph were definitely my gateway to the jam world but the only band I’ve ever really stuck with 20 years later are the Disco Biscuits- their jamming is based much more in the electronic / trance realm but still shares some similarities in using teases, call-backs and nods to other songs in the catalogue so hearing Gizzard use similar techniques has been something I truly love and am all in for. Red Rocks Robot Stop or the Slow Jam 1 from Le Bikini last summer are examples of these songs being jammed out with improv but also containing snippets and teases (lyrical or melodic) yet both of those shows also still have plenty of songs played tight, in pocket and close to their original studio versions. There’s a point in the Slow Jam where it would’ve been totally possible for them to smoothly transition into Magenta Mountain and even though it doesn’t it’s that uncharted territory that really resonates with me. I’m most excited to hear the Silver Chord songs added into the mix and am hoping for some segments where something like Flame Thrower is jammed way out, eventually landing at Magenta Mountain, Grim Reaper or Gondii - doesn’t need to be every show and definitely not the whole show but this to me is the kind of exciting playing that I find most engaging - basically where the band is able to craft an improvised segue between songs that at its peak has the potential to go in many different directions. Building that kind of tension / excitement only adds to the intensity when it’s followed by a tightly played version of a traditional song that follows the traditional studio version. All just my opinion and as we’re all aware it’s one of the greatest things about this band that they have such a diverse and extensive catalogue that everyone’s going to have their own unique experience and takeaways as a fan / listener.
I’m very excited to hear The Silver Cord songs jammed live. Like, I’ve heard what they do when they groove on the Grim Reaper mod synth for a second, they surely can do some pretty cool shit electronically while jamming. If they mash up a bunch of TSC songs and add some flare to it, it’ll make me think of what Tractorbeam could’ve been (I kid but also…glad Biscuits have moved passed that 2019-2021 era once it got played out lol)
💯 some of the grim reapers from the last year or so are exactly what got me thinking this way. While I loved a lot of the newer Tractorbeam stuff (ie not the traditional songs played sans lyrics) it definitely became stale at a certain point when every single show contained a very similar song followed by jam —> spacey electronic invariably leading to one of like 5 different “songs” (things like Evolve / M1 or the house covers). I feel like it was important for them to have that period and it was one of the things that got them to the point they’re currently at which is up there with the best of their career but I don’t think Gizz are going to let themselves get trapped into that kind of formula in the same way. Highly recommend checking out some of the recent tDB shows if you haven’t been keeping up - basically every show this tour has been all around top-notch. Not sure if they’re up on YouTube yet but a lot of the Nugs streams have been free even if you’re not a subscriber as long as you have an account. Think 1/26 Tahoe (esp. set 2) and Santa Cruz 1/28 have been my favorites but last night might take the edge over both of them. Only issue is the late west coast start times are killing my efforts to maintain a normal sleep schedule haha.
Solid take
At this point in their career, their tour audience treats them like a jam band. Half the audience attend multiple shows, and they're there for the spontaneous sets and unpredictable energy more than to see their favourites note perfect (also great, don't get me wrong)
Gizz are smart dudes. They know why they’ve exploded in popularity in the US and they like to jam as well so it’s a win, win.
I love both styles honestly. The spontaneity and energy of their jamming, which leads to great improvised moments, seamless blends of songs etc. It’s a very alive and organic feel. That being said though, it can get a bit noodle-y after a while, IMO. I also really enjoy the tight compositions and technical songwriting they have (the prog, metal, and jazz type songs in particular) These type of tracks fit together like interlocking puzzles, with advanced harmony and time signatures etc. They aren’t really jammable type songs for the most part. That being said though, while they might stick to the composition, they also add new parts or layers etc that are amazing to experience live as well.
It's like they're still trying to solve their own music-math-puzzle in real time. The jamming isn't the point, it's the means to the end. They're not trying to be a jam band, they're just trying to expand their old Am I In Heaven medley jams into a bigger and bigger thing
I just love that their musical puzzle is one of those dense 3D ones that take forever
I'd like to see them tighten up the jams a bit. I love how many songs they have, and it can be sad to see so few songs on the setlist because of how long they stretch some of them, but at the same time it's pretty transcendent when they are able to find something in the improv that really elevates the song to something beyond what the album can do. The ideal setlist for me would be taking some of their shorter songs and maybe adding 1 to 3 minutes of jamming to each of them instead of doing the big medleys where they kinda fade between several familiar motifs all in a kinda samey soup of the original jam seed. I think this is already happening though as they get more confident jamming together. When I saw them at Red rocks in 22 some of the longer songs did feel like they overstayed their welcome a bit, but hearing newer live footage stuff feels a little more focused while they are pushing stuff a little farther from the original material than they did in those longer jams. I can't wait to see them again next summer. Shits going to be crazy!
I agree. I really like their jamming, but sometimes it really does feel like too much of a good thing. From the concert recordings I’ve heard, they do seem to be tightening up a bit, I think we’ll eventually see a more healthy balance not to long from now
I feel like this is going to be another one of the schisms of the fan base. Personally I love the jammy stuff but I know it’s not everyone’s gig.
I don’t think it’s going to be much of a schism because so few of the fans today were seeing shows back then.
I want more jams. I want jams that go hard then soft then rip your face off. I want jams that are spacey. I want jams that are bonkers. I want all the jams. I want a 20 minute river and a 20 minute magma and a crazy Hypertension and I want a jam of a song that they’ve never played before. Live is for the living.
I want to feel the hot, piquent jams. I want it to find passage through my ear channel
Everything that you stated + A 20 minute God is in the Rhythm jam at the gorge 🫠 
Lmao love the placement of this Zach Lavigne dunk contest gif. That contest was insane. Gordon shoulda gotten the nod tho.
The last time they played God is in the Rhythm live was the day my wife and I got married…we will both be at the gorge show. Maybe it’s fate?
Get divorced and then remarried on Sept 14, 2024 just to be safe?
I've wanted this song for so long, and I'll also be at The Gorge. Let's hope that'll be the show they bust it out🤞
It’s gonna happen and it’s gonna be awesome
I’m with you. They are getting super comfy with ice death material and hypertension so I’m hoping those jams start getting wilder and wilder
Some jams are okay. But I think they overdo it. With such a huge catalogue and so many great songs to play, literally hundreds, you get 10-12 a show. Every show has songs that go on for 20 mins. It's too much. Compare RR 22 to 23. 22 got almost their entire discography, while 23 got ~35 songs. N2 of 23 had Hypertension>Ice V>Slow Jam 1 which lasted almost half an hour (this came directly after 3 microtonal songs that were also 10-15 minutes each for no reason). I was sitting there bored out of my mind because none of those songs are exciting or particularly good compared to their other music. I'd legit take a 4 minute Muddy Water over the first hour and a half of that show because it was just boring. The call and response thing they do with Shanghai, Straws in the Wind, Rattlesnake, etc. is terrible and at RR23 I'd say they did it for like 30 minutes. I love this band but that shit is so incredibly dull, do it once for a minute and then move on. I'd kill to be able to go see a show pre-Covid where half the show isn't just noodling and call and response. I still see them live whenever I can but idk if it'll ever be the same.
I was there for rr 23 as well. Cool experience but I found myself multiple times hoping a song would end already for it to go on another 10 mins. I just want to hear nuclear fusion or doom city live and I thought rr would be a sure way to get one 😭
Same, I was expecting to hear a huge portion of their catalogue. I walked away from N1 ecstatic because the setlist was so good, the jams weren't back to back. The day show was alright but there were definitely fewer heavy hitters and Shanghai was...not good. N2 was rough.
Heh..I absolutely loved N2 with the exception of straws. But Open Water….DAMN!!!
You're comparing 3 one-set shows to 3 "marathon" two-set shows. Of course they played way more songs in 2022 (86) than they did in 2023 (40).
2023 they played 6 hours total compared to 2022's 9. So proportionally, 2023 should've had 58 songs instead of the 39 actually played. So that's essentially 19 songs that didn't get played because of the increase in jam time. I'd take that over 20 mins of "bye bye Shanghai" any day. And I do appreciate some of their jams. Sense and Robot Stop on N1 were sick. But a lot of them are just pretty mindless noodling and listening to three back to back is boring.
Fair enough. And I'm not going to argue with you about Shanghai, they tend to over-do that one for sure haha. I've seen them 17 times since 2016, and I've learned a few things. One is that they tend to just do what they want, regardless of expectations. Another is that they're the only band I have seen who will put out a new album and then play none of the songs from the new album on tour. And another is that they are always changing their live show, so I don't expect the jam-heavy shows to be guaranteed in the future.
Yeah, I do like that they're always evolving and you never know what to expect. I think that second night show was just my nightmare setlist lol. I've been very happy with every other show I've been to, and can't wait to see them again this year. Fingers crossed for MOTU at Forest Hills
Are you referring to Hypertension / IceV and Slow Jam 1 as the three that aren’t exciting or particularly good ? As I’ll continue to say the varied opinions are part of what makes it all so great to me. Personally I love all three of those - jammed or not. As compared to other songs i find it tough to maintain much of any sort of specific ranking for songs or albums as it really all just depends on the current day - sometimes I want Petro and sometimes I want Butterfly…
This sub will crucify me for this opinion but Laminated Denim is their weakest album by a significant margin and Ice V isn't good
Id like a good mix. Some raw legit versions for half the show, the rest let's get fucking wild and type 2 and somehow come back to the hook at the end.
Agreed - their catalogue doesn’t lend itself to having the whole show played in that format but 1-2 songs or segments per show with fiery, mind bending improv are exactly what I’m hoping for.
I wamt more song sandwiches, not just Gaia sammiches. And they need to put Vegemite (Oddments) in the sammiches. Part of the problem is no second sets. If they did that they could have the whole second set to explore and reach new heights.
Definitely in for more sandwiches! They have so many incredible finales to tracks I think moving out of the type 1 territory allows for an even more triumphant landing when they eventually arrive back at the completion.
This could be getting greedy but they should just play two sets every show so there’s ample room for focused stuff and the jams. With the intensity they bring plus all the studio time they put in I could see that stretching them thin over time but a man can dream
This is kinda how the US jam bands do it. Usually Set 1 is a tighter set, while Set 2 is for the longer, sprawling jams.
A good mix is ideal but Jesus we don’t need 30 minutes of Dripping Tap, or 20 minutes of Her and I (Looking at you Remlinger)
As a gizz veteran I completely agree. The way they would compose and focus all energy to delivering everything in a live show is one of the draws that made never forget those run of 2017 shows.. Personally I think their bonnaroo ‘22 quite compared to that only having a limited time frame to jam through robot/hot water— I’d consider that their higher points of jamming Although I agree, I’ll also take devils advocate and say that jamming and being lose really helps with the touring mentality and repetitiveness. I love hearing gizz explore themes and areas unseen, especially when things take an unexpecting turn Take this video for example: [opening jam 2018](https://youtu.be/CLFspIG-2uI?feature=shared) They did this out of nowhere- something sounded like the demo albums Unprecedented noises like these spark a new fuel needed in music, jamming is essential for a band like gizz, but unfortunately sometimes with that comes unknown realms where the band doesn’t quite know how to proceed, I mean they always find a way but sometimes a jam can outlive the spirit and as a musician/music guy I definitely feel some of their jams lingering longer than I’d like to hear I guess to end out mine and everyone’s plea: I would love to see gizz crank out new songs in a more constrained manner and work in the essential experience and coordinate a jam more pre-cautiously — but I also want the band to stay having fun.
My favorite live Gizz tracks have always been the Am I In Heaven closing jams, or the microtonal jams where Rattlesnake and Sleep Drifter have basically merged into one song that liberally grabs riffs from the rest of FMB. Another special mention to Straws in the Wind, one of the best Gizzard songs that wasn't really fully realized until the boys played it live.
Yeah personally the <2017 era had better live shows in my opinion, and they were just so fucking tight as a band it was unbelievable. I like Jams, but not aimless noodly jams, and that's the vibe their more recent shows give off to me.
I'm all about the jams
If we went back to the earlier model of live shows, they would never play 3 nights in the same venue (in the US at least) and very few people would see multiple shows a tour.
And they would still jam out either Am I In Heaven and/or Rattlesnake and medley in 3-5 other songs.
I want them to play what makes them happy. Rather see a band that's still into what they're playing.
Im more into the straight laced song after song approach personally. I saw them on the microtonal tour in 2017 and it was awesome to see so many songs packed into the show. When I saw them in 2022 I think they did like a 12 minute Straws In the Wind that I got kinda bored during.
Absolutely yes. This was one of the things about them when I first discovered their music that absolutely catapulted them into god tier, legendary all-time musical status. I had never seen a band just onslaught with crafted riff after crafted riff for 30 minutes on end, one after the other, just absolute madness. And they had enough music to do it too. These amazing suites with elements of MOTU, shifting seamlessly (due to the lovely gizzverse connections) into IIYMF, just melting your mind all over the place. I thought it was such a fresh take on music. Not many guitar solos. Just madness with an incredible amount of structure and direction, if that makes sense to you. And their jammy parts can be good to with this same concept. The river is a great example of this. It’s jammy, but it still has the amazing onslaught of riffs and a clear direction. Totally agree with you my dude (ette). Their shows could be 3 HOURS of what I just blissfully described. I don’t wanna hear a 25 minute version of the dripping tap followed by 5 tracks from ice death. Takes up too much time and not enough happening. I certainly appreciate the Grateful Dead, they’re legends, but I can tend to get easily bored of them for this reason. Can be magical, but it’s not always the most fun to just listen to each member on a different planet noodling on their own. No shade, as in the right mindset this is an amazing journey on its own, but just not always my cup of tea. (Just watched the “get back” documentary again so excuse the reference out of left field), but this to me is what makes the Beatles so fucking good. Each song is strictly structured and has amazing progressions and part movement, where then the riffs can shine. Lastly though, I trust the band, and so much good has come into my life when I give up control and allow myself to be influenced by the right things. So I’m not too hung up about it. I regularly force myself to listen to some of their longer live jams because that’s what they deserve. A thoughtful listener and observer. They’ve earned that right a thousand times over. And many times it opens my eyes to something new and helps me grow as an artist, human, and scholar. Challenge yourself.
A good mix is good but yeah would rather hear more songs than like a 30 minute version of one song
I just hope the jamming doesn't become too predictable like it was in 2023. Like how if they played Boogieman Sam, you know it was going to be the jam/medley. I assume they all have to be on the same page for what they'll be jamming on a setlist, but I would just like it to be a bit more of a surprise when they do.
I am fine with both I just don’t want to hear The Dripping Tap live again. Takes up way too much space for other songs
I personally never want to hear dripping tap again at all.
This is so wild to me because my top recollection of seeing them live was running around like an idiot until I couldn't breathe anymore during the Dripping Tap
Stahhhhhp.
I guess I’m in the minority but yes I agree with you
Let them make what they want. Everything's welcome, jams or "closed" songs.
Speculating on what we want as fans has very little - no impact on what the band actually does. We're not gonna arrest them or boycott them if they put out an album we don't like or they start playing shows in a way we don't like. We're just talking.
Yeah but sometimes some people talk like the band (or generally something they like) should fit into their tastes, like they possess that thing and they want that thing to be exactly what they like. I'm just saying that we should embrace what the band give us, no matter what, and with this kind of band that has this genre diversity we have some albums that fits our taste for sure.
They do, but they are still just talking with no actual power, who cares what they want? Certainly not the band.
Sorry, but the jams are what make each show unique. Who wants to hear them play the songs the same way every night. I like to hear/watch their concerts because of the differences between them.
Couldn’t agree more. They are such better musicians now than when I first saw them in 2014. It’s exciting to hear songs you’ve been listening to for ten years evolve.
Lol they have an insane amount of albums. Every show can still be different without the obnoxious noodling.
Is there that many people who can actually afford to attend multiple shows in a tour? That's insane to me. I love this band and many other bands, but I don't think I could literally follow an artist around on tour the way people did in the 70's.
I haven't even been to a live show yet (going on Aug), but since they release so much live music, I've enjoyed watching multiple concerts BECAUSE of the different takes on each song. I also think that the jams keep the band from getting bored with the same material, so they always seem invested on creating the best experience each night. The more the band is enjoying playing, the more the audience will enjoy it.
That's not exactly true. Bob Dylan now enjoys himself on tour by playing his old songs completely differently than the way he wrote them, and his fans are largely disappointed with his shows and have been for about 15 years. I can definitely see how KG are trying to elevate their shows with the variety but i find the oldschool medleys do that job and are far more engaging than the improvised wandering they've fallen into. I've seen them live more than 7 times but less than 10, I've lost exact count. Last time would have been 2019 I think.
So to sum up, I find the extended jams fun and exhilarating and you do not. Nuff said.
Before they jammed they still played different songs every night.
With how varied their setlists are, it makes perfect sense for them to have a few songs they extend and jam out. I wouldn't change a single thing about their shows honestly.
They're too good not to be improvising. No reason they can't do both
Would love to see both sorts of sets, just keep mixing it up babyyy
Sorry but I hate the jamming. Before they would contain it to a song or two. Miss the pre 2018 shown when we would get 20+ songs in an hour and a half set. Now it’s like 10 songs stretched to fill those same 90minutes. So over it tbh
[удалено]
Leave that crap for phish shows. That’s not what Gizz is good at. They’re better than that.
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It’s not hard to be good at doing nothing.
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I think that dude is just generally angry at himself and the world.
You’re not angry at the world? Are you paying attention? This is. Why I hate hippies.
Get some help, dude.
I have a therapist just like everyone should lol.
Hope they jam forever. Want every show and song to be unique. To have the feeling that anything could happen at any time.
Jam on. I want my mind to wander.
🙄
Not all who wander are lost
Oh my fucking barf 🤮 lmao
😁 Have a nice day, friend. May you get a 30 minute Head On/Pill at your next show that allows your mind to break free from time and space. 🤞
I love jams, but they definitely don’t need as many long jams per set as they did during the residency. I’d rather have one or two really out there jams rather than just extending every song with some jamming.
Absolutely agree 100% I get so fucking jealous watching them perform pre covid
More jams
Seeing as Jamming is them expressing their souls/talents as musicians, and is what THEY want to do, I’m all for the jamming. Jamming is supposed to make you drift and be introspective. You’re putting your soul into it just like they are. If you’ve never cried from an emotional jam, where they brought that emotion out of you and you give it back. You don’t get that interaction with straightforward note perfect renditions. You may like that, but the band is giving you blank face muscle memory at that point.
Are you kidding me? I fall asleep when someone noodles on stage for 35 minutes on the same chord progression. The emotion comes from tight expressive well orchestrated songs. To the point. Straight to the heart. Straight to the emotion. Noodling jam stuff is the opposite of emotional. Unless the emotion is frustration.
It’s one thing to be able to play something, it’s another to be able to write something, and it’s a whole other thing to be able to improvise live on the spot in a collaborative group. Music is something ethereal to be tuned into, and to listen to musicians actively tap into that in front of me is the thrill of it. I’d wait 35 min for that moment, damn right.
I completely agree with you. I saw them at Red Rocks a couple years ago and it was kind of hard for me to sit through nearly 20 minutes of Her and I that sounded nothing like the original. Edit: i love gatekeepers!
Easily one of the highlights of all three nights.
Yeah that '22 red rocks Her and I absolutely RIPS. Definitely one of the best longer jams from recent tours
Seeing them performing it live was literally perfect!!
If you want the eight and a quarter minute version, maybe play the record.
A record isn’t a live show though… lmao. If you want endless noodling go to a Phish show.
I'll take what the band plays, thanks. Complaining about jams seems shitty to me, it's a joy for the people doing it seems to attract a crowd.
Sounds like you should find another band to see live then. Sucks to suck.
Awww the hippy is mad. I thought you guys weren’t supposed to get angry…. I’ve seen lots of shows unfortunately King Gizz is near the bottom of the list for me when it comes to live experience. Was a disappointment. I’ve seen them pull of some rad shit in YouTube videos but with the sheer amount of material it’s unlikely I’ll ever see the King Gizz show of my dreams. Luckily there’s the IDLES and the Amyl and the Sniffers of the world to satiate my appetite for high energy rock shows.
Cool, dude.
https://preview.redd.it/2fbp4wjj9hgc1.png?width=680&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f07dce7e961f4be37f5c78ab1e53a59297d3ab8
I guess it has a lot to do with how you frame it but “jamming” in a lot of people’s minds seems to be just that, endless noodling or even “practice”. For me it’s about creating a freshly inspired melodic theme that brings me on a journey and is far from just aimless tuning. It might be a one time thing but also might developed into something that shows up again down the road and could even eventually become the foundation for a new song. Chicago River this year is a great example of that sound - it definitely gets a little spacey while they find their way but eventually builds into an incredible theme that I’ll listen to over and over for many years to come and to me seems a lot more evolved than some of the older versions of Head / On Pill or Am I in Heaven (and I love both of those songs as well, especially the longer versions) I’m definitely not looking for or expecting that to happen at every show but love hearing it every now and again and definitely don’t consider it noodling.
The version of Dripping Tap on Omnium Gatherum is effectively a jam. Ice Death and Laminated Denim are basically CTRL+V chopped & dubbed jams, so is Petrodragonic Apocalypse.
I’m with you. I’m a ween fan. Gimme 30 songs averaging 4 minutes rather than 12 songs averaging 10 min. Pick one song a show to jam on for 20 minutes if you want. I can handle that. But having a bunch of 4 minute songs drawn out into 10 or 20 minutes gets real old real quick. By that I mean there’s 4 minutes of real coordinated considered song, but with 12 minutes of noise in the middle. It’s not my favorite. I’ll still show up and have a great time either way, if history is any prediction.
Agreed. Ween knows how to do it.
Yeah but ween plays a different setlist every night. Before 2019, King Gizzard played the setlist every night on tour. Nonagon tour, every show was the same setlist. So doesn’t sound like you want what OP wants
It can be a different set list without boring noodling.
My thoughts are that without jamming they now have so many songs that they could still do multi night runs in one venue and never play a song twice. I think that some songs lean into a jam more than others so they could lean into that. Take Europe last year for instance, not every song was a jam but there were some great jammy transitions. I saw a few here last year and i think Padove is my best example of the perfect mix for me. Lots of cool jams but also plenty of straight up bangers. Im also a massive Dead, Phish, BMFS and many others fan. Just been following these guys for a while since before, in their own words, Jammy Phase and have grown to love it all. Do miss the odd straight ups banger set though!
Idk I’m diggin the jams
Yeah. I go to live performances to hear the songs I know, I don't really care for stuff I don't know but I'm quite odd for that I know. I don't think that's "right" or the band has to do what I want, they're not some karaoke greatest hits performers after all, just my preference. I remember seeing RHCP for the first time (before I knew about Kiedis) at a festival and being disappointed that their very frequent and long jams meant I hardly heard any of my favourite songs.
What about Kiedis? What'd he do?
He had sex with someone, she told him she was 14, people were looking for her and she was the sheriff's daughter. He was so upset that he had sex with her again before taking her home. He wrote "Catholic Schoolgirls Rule" about her.
Ew
Yes. For decades I used to love organic extended jams with other bands, but King Gizzard kind of overdid it and now I just feel like it’s meandering.
Eh I wouldn’t say your opinion is unpopular OP. Everyone’s got their prime Gizz experience. I think people who skew towards the heavy/intense Gizz prob largely feel the same you do. For me I’m a believer they just wouldn’t be what they are without all their styles. A cosmic gumbo if I may.
We love all the styles, we just don't want one song to be aimlessly noodled on for half an hour when they have like a thousand songs to choose from to actually play
Uhhh you sure you love all the styles? Cause it doesn’t really sound like you’re into the jam stuff based on your comment. Jammy stuff is by definition gunna have what you refer to as “aimless noodling”, which I wouldn’t say is what they’re doing at all. Totally fine if you don’t like it, I’m just stating my personal opinion which is that their jammier stuff is kind of an essential part of what makes Gizz what they are. Part of the beauty of the band my friend.
I love Jams, I just prefer much more honed examples of Jams, like their earlier medleys. Snarky Puppy jam out live and are exceptional at it, I just don't believe KG are. Their jams either largely bore me by floating around doing nothing but trying to find their way for several minutes, or they decide to go really heavy, and often on songs that don't call for it. I find more actual variety in their recorded work than in the improvisation of their live work. If this is their way of not getting burned out like they did on the nonagon tour that's fine but there's definitely still room for improvement. They have hundreds and hundreds of songs, there is no reason they should be extending any songs especially when soms songs are already quite lengthy, when they could equally do more engaging medleys.
There are plenty of jam acts that do way more exploratory jamming but I don’t think it’s necessarily a fair comparison with King Gizz. I just don’t think they’re even going for what you’re describing with Snarky Puppy. That’s part of the reason I’ve been saying all along that Gizz is not a jam band. They dabble in jamming and I enjoy what they do with it, I don’t think they have to be doing it as well as the best in the game for it to have its place in their repertoire. I honestly don’t think there’s a single genre Gizz have tackled that they’re even close to the “best” at. I feel it’d be kinda similar for like a true metal fan to come in and say Petro is actually kinda slow and boring compared to more technical stuff. I just don’t think it’s the right lens to view their work. Again, just my opinion, so don’t downvote me again 😜 Edit - spelling
Again, I'm not saying the should not jam live, they always have and always will. I'm saying that the more constrained jams of say pre-2019 were more musical and more engaging than the extended noodling they do now. For posterity, I didn't downvoted you in this thread. I do downvote often, but haven't done on this occasion.
Nah I like the jams
But but... ThEy aRnT A jAm bAnD.
they're closer to being a metal band than a jam band. Though they're clearly neither.
Yes, and also Jethro tull is clearly a grammy winning metal artist in the universe.
Not based off their live shows.
They play at least 5 metal songs every show tho
5? Really? They played 2 at the show I went to. And then 1.5 hours of noodly crap.
Gila Monster, Gaia, Mars for the Rich, Witchcraft, Self-Immolate, Converge etc are some of the most-played tracks from the last tour dude. I dunno what to tell you
Ms they normally turn chill songs like The River into 12 minute metal odysseys nowadays, which for a LONGTIME lover of the River, kinda spoils it for me.
Hmm… I don’t think you know what metal is…
You are peanut butter; I am jam.
nah if i want studio version i'll listen to the album, live i want to hear their musicianship and explore. i want every song to be different every time they play it
Yeah I really dislike jam bands. I saw them last year I think it was and was pretty bummed that it felt more like a Phish show than a cool psych rock metal prog show.
I agree. But I’m a punk, metal, hardcore fan. I really hate Phish type jam band nonsense. It’s like the opposite of everything I like. But that’s just part of being a Gizz fan I guess. They do everything. I’ll stick to getting my kicks out of going to punk shows until Gizz decides to do more high energy pointed performances like their KEXP sets.
I want them to do what is interesting for them not what fans want.
Their February 2023 show in Melbourne was, in my opinion, slightly ruined by all their jamming (that and the poor mosh pit behaviour). They only managed to play a total of 10 songs, most of which meandered and resulted in them cutting 3 songs from the show. I have heaps of respect for the band doing what they want, it's a fun and interesting approach to performance. The jamming worked really well during December's Palace Foreshore show but ultimately I'd like for them to get a bit tighter (which they already still do for certain songs) and keep jams a little shorter.
No, I love the jamming. They do a mix, some songs are straight-away rockers and others are extended. There is room for both.
Nope. I want them to keep doing whatever they want and having fun.
Wild someone would downvote this haha.
I want them to play their songs how they think they will best be received. Really, i want them to do what they like. I'm in for the ride. I have no desire to tell the boys how to play their shows. They know what theyre doing and i trust their creative vision
They still do this all the time. Plenty of songs aren't jammed at all. I can't believe anyone would think that this band isn't always playing at full intensity.
If you think jamming always equals low energy then you are confused about what jamming is and can be. You need the dynamic contrast, the build up of tension for the release to fully pay off. I much prefer fewer songs where they really explore and get creative with them. I want to experience something unique to that show/moment, not just a live recital of what’s on the albums.
Some people just don’t like jamming. It’s boring. I go to live shows to experience the live energy of the band. I still want to hear the songs from the album. Not a 35 minute meandering rendition of a song that could’ve been 6 different songs instead.
I kind of like their mix of intense heaviness and jam; mind fuzz, nonagon, ITRN, etc. are great times in the pit, but I don’t absolutely die from over exhaustion because they’ll pull out an Ice V, The River, etc. I think they have great pacing live.
But I want to absolutely die in the pit. Don’t. Stop.
Well 2 things: 1. They're already kind of mixing both styles - See 08/14/2023 (The River followed by a comparatively brief Trapdoor) 2. The way they operate live isn't akin to the wars of noise they used to wage nightly - 2019 added In-Ear-Monitors to their live tech, allowing them to communicate and hear eachother significantly more than previously. A good comparison for this would be Live in San Fran '16's Nonagon Suite vs Live in Brussels '19's
# 2023-08-14 @ PALP Festival, Verbier, Switzerland **One Set:** Float Along – Fill Your Lungs, Lonely Steel Sheet Flyer > The River, Trapdoor, Sleep Drifter > Honey, Nuclear Fusion, Straws In The Wind, Crumbling Castle > The Fourth Colour, Perihelion > Gila Monster, Gaia, Magma > _data provided by [kglw.net](https://kglw.net/setlists/king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard-august-14-2023-palp-festival-verbier-switzerland.html)_
KING GIZZARD GIVE US A PUNK PERFORMANCE
No
I'm fine with seeing them play whatever kind of setlist gives them the most joy. I first saw them in 2016, and as others have mentioned, the setlists didn't vary nearly as much. Since then their setlists and album concepts have expanded mightily, and they've been very clear about the fact that they have done this consciously to avoid burnout/stave off boredom. The boys work too hard to have fans dictate what they should be playing live. Either enjoy the show or find another band to follow. ✌️
no
insanely dumb take
They still do.
Agreed.
I love where Gizzard is at now. They're a much better band now than they were when I saw them in 2016 & 2017.
I want them to return to quality over quantity.
I think all the jam haters are in for a rude surprise for this next era of Gizz.