King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard cast their magic over
a spellbound crowd in Edinburgh.

★★★★☆ (4/5)

KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD PERFORMING AT EDINBURGH’S USHER HALL
PHOTOCREDIT: CALUM BUCHAN

The Ozzy rockers arrived in Edinburgh as part of a massive world tour of over 50 gigs for their first concert in the city.

The support band, fellow Australian’s Children of Finland Fighting in Norway aka C.O.F.F.I.N kicked the night off with a sharp, powerful muscle rock set that had the lively crowd bouncing well before the end of their set. They are a band whose front man, Ben Portnoy, sits at the rear on his drums and he fairly drives his skater punk brothers on through their three chords and the truth tracks. Well worth looking up if you’ve not heard them.

Once the stage was cleared, it didn’t take long for KGLW to stride into the Usher Hall with singer Stu McKenzie resplendent in his kilt. Like every dad at a wedding, he was soon spinning around and kicking his heels up.

To say that KGLW is prolific is an understatement with seven albums released in 2022 and 2023 and 58 singles in their back catalogue. So, they have a huge selection to pick from and looking at their setlists from the tour they seem to have a different set every gig making each performance unique. You would expect that this would mean a disjointed set, but the band hammered through from song to song seamlessly.

The band set up with the three guitarists, Stu, Cook Craig, and Joey Walker across the front, with keys and harmonica player Ambrose Kenny-Smith on the right. Drummer Michael "Cavs" Cavanagh sat behind an enormous yellow kit. Superb bass player Lucas Harwood shared the drum riser through the set. Their kit looked amazing, and their vintage and handmade guitars were about to have a great workout.

The crowd was onside from the first chords of ‘Magma’ from one of their 2022 albums ‘Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava’ and a mosh pit formed by the time crowd favourite ‘Cellophane’ kicked off, this was so energetic that Stu had to ask them to stay chilled.

The bands eclectic style, blues, punk, and various shades of Metal was all supported by high levels of musicianship and a very tight performance.

The highlights were well received, I’m Not in Your Mind’, ‘Gaia’ and ‘Hell’ saw Stu striding and circling across the stage every inch a young Angus Young supported at full bore by the band. The audience reacted with excitement and the crowd surfing was in full flow.

The build up to the end of the set was strongly blues based with ‘Daily Blues’ followed by the filthy ‘Automation’ which brought Ambrose to the front squeezing the life out of his harp.

The last song was another favourite ‘Rattlesnake’ belted out with as much energy as the first. The band were joined by some of C.O.F.F.I.N. for a raucous send off to a happy Edinburgh crowd.

Just another 46 gigs to go! Surely King Gizzard have a strong claim to be the hardest working band in rock.