U.S. Residency Tour

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King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard US Residency Tour
Tour by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Start date28 May 2023
End date21 June 2023
Legs1
No. of shows15
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard concert chronology

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard's US Residency Tour was a concert tour of the United States that took place during June 2023. It began on 28 May 2023 with the band's performance at Boston Calling, and concluded on 21 June 2023 at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood Hills, California.

The tour was announced on social media by bassist Lucas Harwood on 15 November.

History[edit]

According to frontman Stu Mackenzie, the residency concept was inspired by the tendency of some fans of the band to attend multiple shows. He told SPIN:

It’s honestly shocking, amazing, and beautiful that all these people come to multiple shows. It’s like, fuck! We’ve got to put on something good for them, because they’re the ultimate fans. That started as us trying to do unique shows every night and play a bunch of different songs, and it has evolved into us challenging ourselves to make it even more special. That feedback loop of us enjoying it, more people coming, and the venues getting bigger has led us to that place where we want to do three nights in a city so we can do three different shows, and hopefully a lot of people will come to all three.[1]

The concept proved successful, with the band's shows at the Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee selling out so quickly that a fourth night had to be added.[2] The band's shows at the Salt Shed would be made into the live album Live in Chicago '23.

The band paying tribute to Smith

The band's show at the Hollywood Bowl, at the time their largest yet, was planned to feature a guest appearance from Broderick Smith, father of keyboardist, harmonicist and vocalist Ambrose Kenny-Smith. They had planned for Smith to narrate tracks from the band's second album, Eyes Like the Sky. Smith would pass before the tour began, however, with the band opting to pay tribute at the beginning of the show.[3] In a concert review for PopMatters, Greg M. Schwartz called it a "touching tribute" and a "poignant moment in King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard history".[4]

Reception[edit]

The tour attracted praise for its large and varied sets.[5] In a review for Atwood Magazine, Max Kalnitz said of the tour "To say these shows were special would be an understatement. In the same way that Deadheads look back on the spring of 1977 and Phish fans do for the fall of 1997, I think Gizz fans will look back on the residencies of 2023 and acknowledge that they were some of the best shows the band ever played."[6]

Tour dates[edit]

List of concerts
Date City Country Venue Notes
May 28, 2023[a] Boston United States Boston Calling
June 1, 2023 Pelham The Caverns Underground
June 2, 2023
June 3, 2023 The Caverns Amphitheatre
June 4, 2023[b]
June 7, 2023 Morrison Red Rocks Amphitheatre
June 8, 2023 Two shows in one day, one early and one late
June 11, 2023 Chicago The Salt Shed
June 12, 2023
June 13, 2023
June 16, 2023 Carnation Carnation Farms
June 17, 2023
June 18, 2023
June 21, 2023 Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl 3-hour marathon set

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Added after tour announcement.
  2. ^ Added after tour announcement.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Cohen, Jonathan. "King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Sets 2023 U.S. Residency Tour". SPIN. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  2. ^ O'Brien, Andrew. "UPDATE: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Announce 2023 U.S. Residency Tour [Video]". Live for Live Music. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  3. ^ "King Gizzard honors Broderick Smith in three-hour set at Hollywood Bowl". Jam in the Stream. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  4. ^ Schwartz, Greg M. "KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD LIGHT UP SUMMER SOLSTICE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL". PopMatters. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  5. ^ Rauert, Eric. "KING GIZZARD – LIVE @ THE CAVERNS AMPHITHEATER". AMP. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  6. ^ Kalnitz, Max. "LIVE REVIEW: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD ROCK 4 NIGHTS OF NO REPEATS IN RURAL TENNESSEE". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 30 January 2024.