It was hot. Not just regular summer hot, but that high-altitude, thin-air Colorado heat that makes your skin feel like it’s vibrating. If you were in Buena Vista back in August 2024, you know exactly what I’m talking about. People weren't just there for the scenery or the whitewater rafting on the Arkansas River. They were there for the most prolific, chameleonic band on the planet.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard at the Surf Hotel. It felt like a fever dream.
Most bands play Red Rocks when they come to Colorado. It’s the standard. It’s the prestige move. But Gizzard? They decided to do something a little weirder and, honestly, way more intimate. They set up shop in a tiny mountain town for a two-night residency that felt less like a concert and more like a high-stakes cult gathering in the best possible way.
Why the King Gizzard Buena Vista Shows Felt Different
Location is everything. The Surf Hotel’s "The LAWN" isn't a stadium. It’s a literal backyard with a stage, flanked by the river and some of the jaggedest peaks in the Rockies. When the band took the stage, the sun was still doing that golden hour thing where everything looks expensive.
Stu Mackenzie walked out looking like he just rolled out of a van, which, let’s be real, is his permanent aesthetic.
The energy was feral. Unlike the massive scale of their 2023 Red Rocks run, the King Gizzard Buena Vista dates felt personal. You could see the sweat. You could see the eye contact between Joey Walker and Michael Cavanagh as they locked into those impossible polyrhythms. There is a specific kind of magic that happens when a band capable of selling out arenas decides to play to a few thousand people in a town with a population of roughly 3,000.
The Setlist Shenanigans
King Gizzard fans are nerds. I say that with love because I am one. We track stats. We know which songs haven't been played in 400 days. We know when a "jam" transitions from Daily Blues into something off PetroDragonic Apocalypse.
Night one in BV was a masterclass in the "Heavy Gizz" era. They didn't ease into it. They went for the throat. The transition from Mars For The Rich into Self-Immolate basically turned the mountain valley into a mosh pit of dust and joy. It’s fascinating how they can pivot from thrash metal to synth-pop without it feeling like a gimmick.
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Then came the synth table.
If you’ve been following the 2024 tour, you know the table. It’s this sprawling mess of wires and oscillators where the band huddles together like mad scientists. In Buena Vista, seeing them perform tracks from The Silver Cord against the backdrop of the Colorado wilderness was peak irony. Robot music in the middle of nature. It worked. People were doing that weird, jerky synth-dance while the river rushed by just a few yards away.
The Logistics of a Mountain Town Takeover
Buena Vista isn't built for a King Gizzard invasion. The town is charming, quiet, and mostly geared towards hikers and rafters. Suddenly, there were thousands of people in "Gator" shirts wandering around looking for craft beer and tacos.
Honestly, the local infrastructure held up surprisingly well. The Surf Hotel is part of the South Main development, which feels like a planned community for outdoor enthusiasts. It’s high-end, but during the Gizz run, it felt properly lived-in.
- Parking: It was a nightmare, but a manageable one. People were parked blocks away, trekking through the dirt.
- The Vibe: Surprisingly chill. Even with the heavy music, the crowd was respectful of the town. No one was out there trying to ruin the place.
- The Sound: Because of the mountains, the sound bounces. It creates this natural reverb that you just can't replicate in a concrete bowl.
There was a moment during night two where the band slowed things down. The air got cool. The stars started popping out—and if you haven't seen the stars in the Sawatch Range, you haven't seen them at all. They played Work This Time, and for a second, the chaos stopped. It was just a bunch of people in the dark, listening to a guitar solo that felt like it was trying to reach the top of Mt. Princeton.
Misconceptions About the "Small" Venue
Some people thought that because these were "boutique" shows, the band would go unplugged or do something stripped back.
Wrong.
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They brought the full rig. The visuals were just as trippy, the volume was just as eardrum-shattering, and the intensity was higher because there was nowhere for the energy to escape. If you were in the front row, you weren't just watching a show; you were part of the show's ecosystem. You were breathing the same CO2 as Cook Craig.
The Lasting Impact of the BV Residency
King Gizzard Buena Vista wasn't just another stop on a tour. It was a proof of concept. It showed that the "destination concert" model works for bands with a dedicated enough fanbase to travel into the wilderness.
People flew in from Australia. They drove from Maine. They camped in the national forest nearby because every hotel for 50 miles was booked solid months in advance. This is the new Grateful Dead, but with more fuzz pedals and songs about climate change.
The band seems to thrive in these environments. They aren't corporate. They don't feel like they're punching a clock. When Stu thanked the crowd for coming out to the "middle of nowhere," he actually meant it. There’s a sincerity there that keeps the fans coming back, even if they've already seen the band ten times that year.
What You Should Do Next Time
If they ever go back—or if you're planning on hitting a similar "destination" run—there are a few things you have to keep in mind.
First, the altitude is no joke. You’re at about 8,000 feet. One beer feels like three. Drink more water than you think is humanly possible.
Second, the weather shifts in seconds. It can be 85 degrees at 4 PM and 50 degrees by the time the encore starts. Pack layers. Don't be the person shivering in a tank top while the band plays Crumbling Castle.
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Third, explore the town. Buena Vista has some incredible spots like The Jailhouse for beer or Simple Eatery for a solid meal. The community really stepped up to host the "Gizzoids," and it's worth putting some money back into the local economy rather than just staying in your tent.
The King Gizzard Buena Vista shows represent a specific moment in the band's history. They are at the peak of their powers, playing exactly what they want, where they want. They’ve transcended the need for traditional promotion. They just show up, melt faces, and leave a trail of "holy crap" in their wake.
If you missed it, you missed a piece of history. But luckily for us, this band never stops. There will be another mountain, another river, and another three-hour marathon set somewhere down the line.
Actionable Insights for the Gizz Fan:
- Check the Archives: The band is notorious for taping. If you weren't there, look for the "Bootlegger" series or high-quality fan recordings on Mystery Jack’s YouTube channel to hear the BV versions of the new material.
- Plan for Elevation: For future Colorado shows outside of Denver, give yourself 24 hours to acclimate before hitting the mosh pit. Your lungs will thank you.
- Support Local: If you’re traveling for a residency, buy your supplies in the town you're visiting. It keeps these small venues viable for future "weird" tour dates.
- Watch the Official Live Streams: King Gizzard has been leaning heavily into high-quality streaming lately. Even if you can't travel to the Rockies, the pro-shot footage is often available shortly after the show.
The legend of the Surf Hotel shows will grow over time. It’ll be one of those "I was there" moments that people talk about on Reddit for the next decade. For those two nights, a quiet river town became the center of the psychedelic universe. It was loud, it was dusty, and it was perfect.
Next Steps for Planning Your Concert Trip:
- Map out the 14ers: If you're heading back to BV, realize that several of Colorado's highest peaks are right there. Hiking Mt. Yale or Mt. Princeton the day after a show is a brutal but classic Gizz-fan move.
- Secure your lodging early: For these mountain residencies, accommodations vanish six months out. Book a refundable spot the second rumors of a tour start circulating.
- Gear up: Invest in a high-quality hydration pack. In the Colorado sun, a standard water bottle won't cut it when you're three rows back in a sea of thousands.