King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard donned drag and debuted a new song titled “Witchcraft” during their Pride Night performance on Saturday as part of their four-night residency at Tennessee’s The Caverns Amphitheater.
Though an unmistakable statement by the band surrounding the state’s controversial — and as of June 3rd, unconstitutional — law banning drag shows in public spaces and in the vicinity of minors, guitarist Joey Walker clarified early into their set (per Spin) that “This ain’t no protest, baby. This is a celebration!” Later, keyboardist Ambrose Kenny-Smith told the audience to “take some mental notes” because “this is the first and last time you’ll ever see me onstage in shorts.”
The sextet also unveiled “Witchcraft,” an unreleased cut from their upcoming 24th album, PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation. The song offers all the shredding and denseness promised by the band’s second full thrash metal project, complete with some exuberant “woo’s” for punctuation. Watch its live debut below.
PetroDragonic Apocalypse will arrive on June 16th behind singles like “Gila Monster” and “Converge.” Pre-orders are ongoing. Meanwhile, the band have booked 2023 tour dates across North America and Europe this summer. Find tickets and deals via StubHub, where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are not the first group in the music community to share their opposition to Tennessee’s anti-drag law. In the immediate aftermath of the bill’s signing in March, Yo La Tengo similarly wore drag at a Nashville show, Madonna announced a Tennessee tour stop to specifically benefit trans rights organizations, and Jason Isbell and Allison Russell hosted the live fundraising event Love Rising featuring Hayley Williams, Sheryl Crow, Hozier, and more.