Article & Photos by Kyle Ostrander

Queens, NY – It’s hard to find a band with a more dedicated following than King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (abbreviated KGLW). The Australian based rockers have become renowned for their one-of-a-kind live shows where no two concerts are alike, often pulling from their deep catalog during marathon 2+ hour sets. Their discography recently grew even deeper with the release of their 27th studio album, Phantom Island, which dropped in June. To celebrate the momentous record, the band is on the road in the U.S., performing with a full orchestra at almost every stop. This included a packed show in NYC at Forest Hills Stadium on August 1st, the first of two nights at the venue.

Immediately when the gates opened, KGLW’s fans sprinted to fill the GA floor area, and create a line at the merch booth that stretched across the entire venue. The happy crowd dressed in tie-dye suits, wizard outfits, novelty hats, and band shirts enthusiastically mingled and danced together while waiting for the show to start. One couple sitting in the front row of the stadium seats even got engaged. Soon enough, the house music faded as the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, directed by Sarah Hicks, assembled on risers at the back of the stage. The orchestra’s musicians waved to the crowd and snapped a few excited selfies before picking up their instruments. The members of KGLW quickly emerged, jogging on stage and greeting the crowd before taking their positions. “New York City! We absolutely love playing here. It’s so special to us. And we even have an amazing orchestra this time!” said guitarist/vocalist Stu Mackenzie before the band tore into playing Phantom Island in full. The sweet sounds of the orchestra’s strings perfectly complemented the twangy and distorted tones created by KGLW. Expressive guitar solos intertwined with orchestral arrangements, grounded by a steady rhythm section that maintained the structure of the extended jams. Sitting on top of the music was the audience cheering and singing along to nearly every track, as the band members bobbed to the music, often running around the stage to interact with each other and the crowd.

After tearing through the album, the orchestra collectively took a bow and shuffled off stage as the bright stage turned dark with deep red hues. The band dove into a hard-hitting, rocking rendition of “Magma”, bringing the rock show vibes front and center. Cheers erupted from the audience as they danced to the rhythm of the track’s extended instrumental outro, providing a moment for the Orchestra of St. Luke’s to step back into the spotlight and rejoin the band for a second set. “Give it up one more time for Sarah Hicks and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s! Isn’t it a pleasure to have them here with us?” said Mackenzie. The remainder of the show pulled from across the group’s catalog, including “Crumbling Castle”, “Mars for the Rich”, and “Iron Lung”. Throughout the 17-song set, the band demonstrated remarkable versatility not just in genre, but in instrumentation and the fluid exchange of lead and backing vocals among its members.

KGLW’s run of U.S. shows continues through mid-August, after which the band heads to the U.K. and Europe for shows in October and November, followed by a run of shows in Australia in December to close out the year. Full details can be found on their website.