Psychedelia is a broad concept that can fit neatly into each artistic form. When done well, it has the potential to create a temporary perceptual distortion and expand the consciousness of the audience, leaving them to enjoy the work on a heightened level. The problem with this exuberant definition is that it gives unoriginal bands a scene to link themselves onto, when in reality their only resemblance is a Mandala sheet hung up in their practice room and a passing interest in an obscure Jefferson Airplane album. Luckily, King Gizzard & the Wizard Lizard are one of the few acts that truly fit the description.

The septet are full of contradictions – the name, the song titles, the album artworks, the releases (eight LPs in the past half decade), the flute solos, the 15-minute long compositions, the two drummers- almost everything concerning the band indicates that they are conducting their entire music career on impulse and not to be taken too seriously. However, each release is full to the brim with well crafted, intelligent recordings that have garnered critical acclaim, and when placed into the live setting there are few acts with the ability to excite and take you on a journey of exploration the way King Gizzard do.

In an advert for air conditioning units, the band took to the stage at the Concorde 2 visibly sweltering before a chord was even struck. “Take it easy and look after each other out there” proclaimed frontman Stu Mackenzie in what was unfathomable heat. The view through the fully open fire exit doors of the cold sea waves crashing against the beach juxtaposed the scene perfectly. But this glacial outlook did nothing to halt the exceeding temperatures of the drenched bodies inside, with some members of the audience falling to their knees and having their evenings cut short.

Jumping straight into new album opener ‘Robot Stop’, Nonagon Infinity featured throughout the night in its entirety and made up the lion’s share of the set, whilst also acting as a bookmark with the reprisal at the end. The record itself was created so that it plays in a continuous, never-ending loop and the seven-piece have refabricated that conception perfectly for their live shows. The King Gizzard experience is less of a gig, more of a journey into a frantic vortex that takes hold and hits you with hordes of cloudy distortion, frantic guitar solos, unorthodox song structures and an unnerving excellence from the pair of drummers, who work together to create a backdrop of piercing motoric repetition.

The band is careful to ride the wave of fun at all times without ever falling off and becoming a laughing stock. They can also be ridiculous and grand in equal measure, but you get the feeling that they know the perfect time of when to execute each. Heat is one thing they cannot control though, and the conditions dictated that they cut the riotous experience 45 minutes short of the 11pm curfew.

The organised chaos of the night was a welcome relief from what is an increasingly careerist rock landscape. Better still, the ludicrous productivity of the band dictates that they’ll be back to do it all over again in the near future. Bring an ice pack.
Paul Hill