Enter to win airfare, hotel stay and tickets to see King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard at Forest HIlls Stadium in NYC, August 20th - 22nd.
For one lucky winner and a guest, we’ll cover airfare, lodging, and floor tickets to see King Gizzard in NYC at all 3 shows. If you’re local to New York, you’re still eligible to win an awesome hotel staycation at the Hotel on Rivington on the Lower East Side, along with tickets to the shows. The winner will also receive special swag from the band and Filson NYC, and a private tour and coffee tasting at Caffe Vita’s Brooklyn Roastery. Enter now to lock in the perfect New York summer weekend filled with the wild musical stylings of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.
Prize package includes: Airfare for two (2) from a major hub airport within the continental U.S.(for winners outside of NYC area); four (4) night hotel stay at Hotel on Rivington; two (2) floor tickets to each night of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s 3-night residency at Forest Hills Stadium in NYC; one (1) special merch item signed by the band; two (2) Filson All Weather Totes provided by Filson NYC; private tour and coffee tasting at Caffe Vita’s Brooklyn Roastery
How to Enter:
A. Be automatically entered when you make a new donation of $40 or more OR increase your current Amplifier gift by $3 a month at KEXP.ORG. Make your donation before 7pm on Friday, May 15th. Support the music you love while entering for your chance to win here:
B. Write a postcard to KEXP (no donation necessary) with your name, address, email address, and phone number where we can reach you. You may send one standard-size postcard per household to:
KEXP
RE: King Gizzard NYC Flyaway
472 1st Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
Postcards must arrive at KEXP by 7:00 pm on Friday, May 15th, 2026.
THANKS TO:
Flyaway Rules and Regulations:
Anyone who makes a new donation to KEXP of $40 or more, increases their current Amplifier donation by $3 a month or more, or sends a postcard with their contact information between 6:00am PST May 5th, 2026, and 7:00pm PST May 15th, 2026 is automatically entered into our flyaway contest for a trip for two to New York, NY for 3 Nights of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard at Forest Hills Stadium.
One entry per household will be accepted.
Void where prohibited. No purchase or other consideration necessary to enter. The information obtained through your registration will not be sold or distributed in any way to a third party.
Contest entry period:
6:00am PST May 5th, 2026 – 7:00pm PST May 15th, 2026. Postcards must arrive at KEXP by 7:00pm PST May 15th, 2026.
Contest Description:
The King Gizzard NYC Flyaway Prize Package includes:
Airfare for two from a major hub airport within continental U.S., provided winner is outside of New York Area (no flights provided to New York City from New York, Bronx, Richmond, Kings, Queens, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Union, Passaic, Morris, Somerset, Middlesex, Fairfield, Sullivan, Ulster, Columbia, Greene, Hunterdon, Warren, Litchfield, New Haven, Hartford, Pike, Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Saratoga, Tolland, Windham, Berkshire, Monroe, Northampton, Lehigh, Sussex, Mercer, Otsego, Delaware, Schoharie, Washington, Carbon, Luzerne, Wayne, Hampshire, Franklin, or New Castle counties)
Four (4) night hotel stay at Hotel on Rivington (Thursday 8/19 arrival - Monday 8/23 checkout)
Two (2) floor tickets to each night of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s 3-night residency at Forest Hills Stadium in NYC
One (1) Special merch item signed by the band
Two (2) Filson All-Weather Totes provided by Filson NYC
Private tour and coffee tasting at Caffe Vita’s Brooklyn roastery
NOT INCLUDED in prize package:
Transportation to and from airport within continental U.S. and between lodging and Forest Hills Stadium.
All other expenses, including but not limited to meals, additional accommodation, travel insurance, incidental expenses, tips, transfers, and taxes will be the responsibility of the prize winners. No substitution or transfer of prizes is permitted. Prize is not redeemable for cash or exchange.
Eligibility:
All contest entrants must be 18 years of age or older to enter and to be eligible to win. Void where prohibited. Employees of KEXP and companies donating contest prizes, plus their immediate family (spouse, parent, sibling and children, regardless of where they live) or members of their same households (whether related or not) of such employees and directors are not eligible.
Notification:
One (1) sweepstakes grand prize winner will be randomly selected by KEXP and notified by phone by May 21st, 2026. After notification, the contest winner must provide their full legal name, a signed W-9, and the name of their guest so that travel arrangements can be booked. Odds are determined by the number of entries. The decision of the judges is final. KEXP reserves the right to change dates and substitute prizes of equal value.
While we consider all our Bumbershoot Music Lounge sessions "special," there's something undeniably extra-special about this one. When main songwriter Alex Chilton passed away in 2010, followed shortly by the passing of founding bassist Andy Hummel the same year, most assumed we'd never hear from the legendary band Big Star ever again. (Co-songwriter Chris Bell had already sadly passed in 1978.) Formed in Memphis in 1971, Big Star only released a few albums in their short career, but their influence and legacy has gone on to span decades. A group of musicians, who grew up listening to Big Star, have since banded together to form this all-star band: Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow (The Posies), Mitch Easter (Let's Active), Chris Stamey (the dB's), and a very special Seattle guest, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready. And behind the kit is the sole surviving founding member of Big Star, the inimitable Jody Stephens.
Using the moniker Big Star’s Third, this collective of fans have played very few shows since forming in 2010. KEXP is honored to host this gathering of amazing musicians for one of these rare performances.

The music lounge stage was a constantly rotating blur of talent for Big Star's set. After opening with Third classic "For You", Jody Stevens got off stage entirely and passed the torch off to keep the energy moving forward for "Take Care", led by Ken Stringfellow. The arrangements for "Nightime" and "Give Me Another Chance" could not have been more glorious, as the string quartet and bassoon were countered perfectly by slide guitar and endless vocal harmony. But everything stripped back for #1 Record classic "Thirteen", which got a simple duel vocal and guitar harmony that could take your breath away from a mile away (I can't wait to see what it sounds like on the Starbucks stage later). Jody returned for a rapturous rendition of "Blue Moon" before Jon and Ken returned to take us home on the timeless "I am The Cosmos" and "In The Street". From the beginning, Big Star's Third has been a heartfelt and moving celebration of a band and an album with an unforgettable effect on the world. But here in the music lounge, with the intimacy experienced here with this collection of phenomenal musicians, the sentiment was felt 10 times over.









If you're here at Bumbershoot, you can catch Big Star's Third at 8:00 PM at the Starbucks Stage, where the line-up will also include The Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli, Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws, Steve Berlin from Los Lobos, The Dream Syndicate’s Steve Wynn, and the Young Fresh Fellows/Minus 5/Baseball Project’s Scott McCaughey.
Seattle's own funk masters Polyrhythmics have become well known for their dynamic, hard-hitting live performances and today's Bumbershoot audience was experience it first hand. Polyrhythmics has made such a huge impact for such a young band, the eight piece orchestra was founded in 2010 by friends …
Pinch yourself, because this is really happening. Not only are The Dream Syndicate back in Seattle for the first time in 25 years - they also are playing an additional set for the KEXP Music Lounge to bring us as close as possible to this timeless and influential act. From their debut EP through fo…