King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Welcome Jay Weinberg At The Forum & Tease Hollywood Bowl Show Announcement

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard launched their fall tour with a “Marathon Show” at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Friday. The Australian rockers welcomed frequent guest on their North American trek, former Slipknot/current Suicidal Tendencies drummer Jay Weinberg, and also revealed plans to return to the Hollywood Bowl in 2025.

King Gizzard launched the concert with a heavy rock segment beginning with three cuts off their August 2019 album Infest the Rats Nest: “Mars For the Rich,” “Planet B” and “Hell.” The band then cooled things down with “Slow Jam 1” before firing back up with a waterlogged “This Thing” and the blissful psych-rocker “Am I In Heaven?”

KGLW returned to the heavy stuff and Rats Nest with “Self-Immolate” ahead of “Dragon” and “Flamethrower” from their latest metal record, June 2023’s PetroDragonic Apocalypse. Guitarist Joey Walker then slung on a microtonal acoustic guitar as multi-instrumentalist Ambrose Kenny-Smith led Gizz through one of his standout songs, “Straws in the Wind.”

Next, King Gizzard continued their microtonal segment with “O.N.E.,” “Sleep Drifter” and “Nuclear Fusion,” the latter saw the band bringing up local taper MysteryJack to do the honors on the often-crowd sourced vocal intro.

The band then did some boogieing beginning with “Antarctica” — off KGLW’s latest studio album, Flight b741 — followed by “Boogieman Sam” from April 2019’s Fishing For Fishies. After “Boogieman Sam,” Walker shared the band’s plans to play with the L.A. Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl as part of their 2025 North American Tour. The trek will see King Gizzard performing with various orchestras in support of their forthcoming album Phantom Island, for which the band recently shared the title track.

KGLW then continued with Flight b741 material in “Field of Vision” and “Daily Blues,” the latter seeing the band nod to legendary blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan with “Texas Flood” and “Pride” teases. Gizz then opened the door on 2016 album Nonagon Infinity with a trio of tracks from the record: “Robot Stop,” “Big Fig Wasp” and “Gamma Knife.”

Up next, KGLW touched on their October 2022 LP Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava with “Ice V.” The sextet then took the audience on a Murder of the Universe journey with “The Reticent Raconteur,” “The Lord of Lightning” and “The Balrog.”

King Gizzard wrapped the “Marathon Show” with Flight b741’s “Le Risque.” The song was among the first tunes the band debuted — in Vienna on May 19 — from b741. “Le Risque” also marked drummer Michael Cavanagh’s lead vocal premiere and also contains lead vocal parts from Joey, Amby and guitarist Stu Mackenzie.

In L.A., KGLW welcomed Jay Weinberg — who is the son of E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg — for “Le Risque.” Jay previously played with the band in Nashville and Red Rocks this year. With Weinberg behind the kit, Cavs came out to sing his part on “Le Risque,” getting an audience member involved for the maniacal laugh in the song and also bringing out Jay’s wife Chloe for the “Let’s ride” lyric ahead of Amby tearing into “Hello, Evel Knievel!”

Watch the raucous “Le Risque” closer below:

Next up for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is a pair of Bay Area shows including their “Silver Cord In Full: Experimental Rave Set” in San Francisco on November 6. Scroll down for KGLW’s complete itinerary and ticket info.

Setlist (via KGLW.net)

Marathon Set 1: Mars For the Rich, Planet B, Hell, Slow Jam 1 -> This Thing -> Am I In Heaven?, Self-Immolate, Dragon, Flamethrower, Straws In The Wind[1] > O.N.E. > Sleep Drifter, Nuclear Fusion, Antarctica -> Boogieman Sam, Field of Vision, Daily Blues > Robot Stop > Big Fig Wasp > Gamma Knife[2] -> Ice V -> The Reticent Raconteur > The Lord of Lightning > The Balrog, Le Risque[3]

Footnotes:

• [1] Joey on acoustic microtonal guitar
• [2] Unfinished
• [3] Jay Weinberg on drums

Show Notes: Slow Jam 1 contained Am I in Heaven? teases. This Thing contained Am I in Heaven? teases and quotes. Am I In Heaven? contained a Slow Jam 1 jam with lyrics. Nuclear Fusion featured community taper, MysteryJack, for the vocal intro. Antarctica contained Hog Calling Contest and Am I in Heaven? teases. Boogieman Sam contained Riff Raff by AC/DC teases. Following Boogieman Sam, Joey mentioned that the band would be performing at the Hollywood Bowl with the L.A. Philharmonic on their upcoming tour in 2025, which was previously unannounced at the time. Daily Blues contained Texas Flood and Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan teases prior to the start of the song. Robot Stop contained Hot Water and Master of the Universe by Hawkwind teases and quotes. Gamma Knife was Unfinished. Ice V contained The Lord of Lightning teases. The Lord of Lightning contained Cellophane teases. Le Risque featured Jay Weinberg on Drums and Cavs on Vocals. Additionally, Cavs got an audience member to perform a laugh for the song and had Jay’s wife featured for the ‘Let’s Ride’ vocal part.

Soundcheck: Dragon, Flamethrower

Opening Band(s): King Stingray, DJ Crenshaw

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