Though the majority of
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
's albums have plenty of unhinged energy, their live shows are where the band really cut loose and deliver a high-watt dose of rock & roll. Recorded on a sweaty night on San Francisco, this set finds the band in fine form as they ramble menacingly and trip gleefully through their back catalog. The first half of the show sees the group ripping through a series of songs from
Nonagon Infinity
, then some earlier tracks like the hypnotic "Trap Door" and the boogie rocker "Cellophane." Once they are loosened up, they delve into the ten-minute jazz workout "The River" and a mammoth rendition of "Head On/Pill" that shows off the combo's unerring grasp of dynamics. The sound quality is good throughout with only minimal intrusions from the audience as they revel along with
King Gizzard
. Their shouts prove that it was a good night for both the band and the crowd. If that's the kind of thing that one finds distracting while listening at home, maybe skip this and stick to the group's studio recordings. Otherwise, this is a fine document of a great live band doing what they do best. ~ Tim Sendra