How to Play Actively in the Closed Sicilian?

I've played a bunch of games (as Black) with something like e4 c5 Nf3 d6 Nc3 Nf6 d3 g6 g3 Bg7, etc.  Mostly push on the Q-side, same side castling.  Sometimes ridiculously symmetrical positions.  I've also tried developing the bishops on e7, e6, and castling. 

This seems boring; I would like to liven up the closed Sicilian!  I'll consider anything -- even down to a Fred Gambit approach ;)

I've been looking a little at this from the 1c4 white side. I think if you play against an opening hell bent on a kingside attack you have to be patient...and not expect an immediate exciting game from your own point of view. I just confirmed that from the database after 1e4 c5 2Nc3 Nc6 3g3 black is scoring 55 % to white's 45%. Very respectable.

The queenside opening/defences IMO need a certain inscrutability about them. There's a certain "rope a dope" aspect to the play I think. You could go for more immediate gratification of action with less good results.

Sage advice, Ziggy.

Black's play in the Closed Sicilian is based on control of d4 and attacking the Queenside.

You can't force fireworks, nor can you force Kingside attacks.  If you don't like it, play something else.  Problem is, nothing forces fireworks all the time.  Even the Latvian Gambit has positional variations!

Deal with it!  If you are too ADD or ADHD to handle a manouvering game, take up Tic Tac Toe instead - it's easier to draw!

As White, when I play much stronger opponents (who respond with the Sicilian) I'll play a Closed Sicilian. I usually start 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 d6 5.Ne2 Nf6 6.f4 a6 7.d3 b5 8.Be3 Bb7

tactics against b2 and rook, get the q side pawns rolling and get one of the minor pieces off in the middle....then look for openings if white misplays the k side pawn storm.....good luck....oh, and if you can find it, howto play the sicilian defence by levy and oconnell, batsford has agreatchapter on closed sicilian....I used to play it as white and got hammeredby good players....spassky games too

Thanks for that tip. The book "A Strategic Opening Repertoire" - John Donaldson and Carsten Hansen, advocates the setup with colours reversed and also looks at the black inspiration for this in the opening chapter, including Spassky's play against it.