Live Review: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Orb

“Hello, we're Orb and we're from Victoria”. They’re about the only words we understand in this set, but this three-piece from down south let their music do the talking. Sabbath-like riffs roll over the eager crowd. Fuzzy bass and slow grooves morph into fast double-time. A great tight set introduces the crowd to this group that are an inspired choice as support for the night.

An eclectic crowd fill every corner of the Metro to witness a band that seems to have broken through to a wider audience with their eighth opus, Nonagon Infinity. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard launch into the opener, Robot Stop, and they literally do not stop for five tracks, ripping through the first half of the album continuously. We would not have been upset if they played the whole thing in its entirety, to be honest.

They diverge into a brand new song of which it seems they are very adept. Lord Of Lightning melds seamlessly into a set that rolls over us like a malleable musical ooze. The seven-piece must literally play together daily to maintain such a perfectly tight sound. The duo of drummers are hypnotic in their synchronicity. When the three guitarists harmonise, it’s other-worldly. When they play in unison, it’s ridiculous.

The crowd is swept up into a lather over and over. Bodies move loosely, sweat flows profusely. The pulse of the band maintain a beating heart for 90 minutes and after the first song is reprised, the band disappear.

We scream for more; the backing tape comes on. We stomp our feet; the ugly lights turn on. There is no encore and we cannot be satiated, but it’s a good start until the next time the Gizzys come to town.