Geese and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Forest Hills Stadium // Queens, NY // August 16, 2024
Photos and review by Jess Williams
Summer is in full swing in New York City, which means sweltering heat and glaring sun for days on end. August 16th was no different, as the humidity peaked and the late afternoon sun spread across Forest Hills Stadium. The venue, nestled in the quaint neighborhood of Forest Hills Stadium, was preparing for the first of two back to back performances by the Australian rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.
Geese
Fans of all ages and walks of life poured into the venue. Groups of friends were strewn across the astroturf grass, grabbing quick bites to eat before the show kicked off. The venue opened up as you entered onto the GA floor, fans quickly filling up the bleachers that surrounded the massive stage.
Opening the evening’s festivities were New York City locals, Geese. Their high energy performance transported all of us back to that time when gritty rock and roll ruled New York. Fans were clearly enjoying their set, headbanging and dancing all along the front barricade.
After Geese’s 30 minute set, it was time for a quick intermission before the true fun began. The sun was low in the sky, not quite set yet as King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard took to the stage. Commencing their three hour marathon set at 7pm on the dot, vocalist and guitarist Stu Mackenzie said “We’re just going to play until they kick us out, yet? We’re going to have a good old time!” The crowd erupted and the band ripped into the live debut of “Field Of Vision”, off their recent release Flight b741.
The entire performance felt like one massively long jam session, in the best way possible. The transitions between songs were seamless and the energy transferring from the band to the crowd and back was palpable. To say the entire evening was a vibe would be a serious understatement but I’ve never experienced such a wonderful evening of talent and good fun.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Among the songs included in King Gizzard’s three hour marathon set were some fan favorites “I’m In Your Mind”, “Self-Immolate”, and “Gila Monster”. For that evening alone, it felt truly like all 13,000 of us were just hanging out for a basement jam session with our friends. It was hard to believe that the night was coming to a close, but King Gizzard ended their massively fun and energetic set with “Rattlesnake” and “K.G.L.W.”
While they didn’t play until they were kicked out, the Aussie natives gave us New Yorker’s plenty of action and then some. This being my first time seeing King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, I was thoroughly impressed. Their music is such a joy to listen to and it’s even better knowing that their energy transfers seamlessly to the live performance setting.
