18 AUGUST 21-27, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | LETTERS | CONTENTS | be forever thankful for the support you’ve given us. And I think it goes without saying that Matt was proud to be part of this, too.” Live music isn’t just about having a good time, but the communal experience. That was underscored by the response to Matt Gawiak’s death from both the Weirdo Swarm of fans and the band itself: McKenzie, Joey Walker, Lucas Harwood, Michael “Cavs” Cavanagh, Cook Craig and Smith. Musicians caring about their community as much as their music is rare, but this tragedy under- scored the importance of it. And as Mack- enzie said, it’s worth it. We tend to trick ourselves into thinking that there’s always an “artist of a generation,” a Bob Dylan-style archetype that makes a true revelatory impact outside of soulless pop music or music industry-built groups. But when it comes to King Gizz, there’s no trick — we’re bowing down. Enter the Gizzverse with excerpts from our reviews of the Colorado Springs show as well as Field of Vision. SWARMING THE SPRINGS BY EMILY FERGUSON “The novelty is not lost on us, being here,” Stu Mackenzie told a packed Ford Amphi- theater on August 8. He and his King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard bandmates appeared to be having the time of their lives. Members of the audience defi nitely were. And the band provided what was, without a doubt, the best concert I’ve witnessed in my life. But fi rst, we were treated to opener DJ Crenshaw, who was spinning vinyl rang- ing from X Ray Specs to the Stooges while stagehands arranged a complex setup for the headliners. As the sun set, members of the Colorado Symphony took their seats as conductor Sarah Hicks walked on stage: The Phantom Island tour included a collaboration with a local orchestra at each stop, bringing the symphonic album to life. Ahead of the tour, Mackenzie told me that Phantom Island was one of his favorite re- leases so far, particularly because it was about “passing the mic” between the members. It stemmed from what was meant to be a one-off show with an orchestra, “but then we thought, ‘Well, hang on, if we’re doing a show, we may as well make some new music,’” he said. (Yeah, making a complex album in collaboration with classical musicians is so casual.) But, as Mackenzie noted, “we wanted to see what we could get away with in that world.” A lot, apparently. Once Gizz lands on an idea, the members master anything neces- sary to bring it to fruition. Never have I seen a band employ such a variety of genres in a single show so seamlessly — but whether metal or blues or psych rock, all of it rides an underlying tone uniquely identifi able as Gizz. At this show each musician was incred- ibly tight, and they were all in sync with one another as they constructed a vortex of sound that the audience happily dove into headfi rst. The fi rst set comprised the band performing Phantom Island all the way through with the symphony, and it was mind-blowing to think that the two groups hadn’t rehearsed together for months: Each song was a crisp, soaring rendition of the recorded track. Ambrose Smith showed off his powerhouse vocals with an enigmatic presence, whipping around the stage during the ending verses of the title track before diving into “Deadstick,” a fan favorite. A family in front of me danced together, each member singing along in the others’ faces as Smith fi nished it off with a dizzying harmonica solo. The symphony was a major complement to the band, making this tour an exceptional collaboration between what many would think are incongruous genres. Rock-driven instruments smoothly blended with harps, fl utes and violins to create a capacious swell of sonics, breathing life into extended intros and outtros. And the collaboration between the bandmates was impressive, as well — the album really was about passing the mic. Cook Craig bounced between vocals, keys and guitar for “Loney Cosmos,” and Mackenzie and Joey Walker both delivered guitar solos on “Eternal Return,” the notes sailing on a gust of wind through the venue before the symphony exhaled the psychedelic outro. Walker’s vocals were a highlight of “Pan- psych,” but his guitar had a woman near me clutching both sides of her face, saying, “How? How does he do that??” It wasn’t just the sound; the poignant, introspective lyrics each member contrib- uted seem to fl ow through you and stick like molasses. They were uplifting, too, boosted by the cinematic qualities of the orchestra that the band dosed with psychedelia. By “Grow Wings and Fly,” a trippy jam saw the violin section weaving with Walker and Mackenzie’s guitars, reaching an entranc- ing movement both complex and effortless. After playing through the album in its entirety, things got weird — in the best way possible, of course. With the stage awash in red lights, the band began playing the wickedly driving “Self-Immolate” off its 2019 metal album, Infest the Rats’ Nest, as symphony members took a break backstage. As unique as it was to see Phantom Island played live, this was the Gizz people were waiting for, making teases to “Perihelion.” The songs chosen for the second half of the two-hour set were clearly chosen for a reason. This band isn’t afraid to share its opinions and take a stance on global issues, whether recently taking its music off Spotify after seeing the company’s CEO invested in AI-powered military software systems and weapons, or being vocal about the war in Gaza. And from “The River,” which kicked off the set, to “Iron Lung,” which fi nished it off, King Gizzard reminded us of our self- agency — and provided a space to hear de- spondent frustrations personifi ed in song. “The River,” off of 2015’s Quarters!, is more of a psych-rock jam, but it wasn’t long before everything got heavy again, as King Gizz went into the ten-plus-minute “Crumbling Castle,” which gets increasingly darker and bombastic as the lyrics cover an apocalyptic devastation brought by the worst of human nature. The orchestra was back on stage for this, with Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys sat in with King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. Drag performer Yvie Oddly warming up the crowd Sunday. Music continued from page 17 continued on page 20 ROSS JONES The sunset behind the mountains and stage at Field of Vision. ROSS JONES ROSS JONES
