When dealing with the enigma that is Maynard James Keenan, you really never know what you are going to get. He is involved with three (3) bands that are quite different from each other. Tool and A Perfect Circle are now in the background of the band that I saw Wednesday night, called Puscifer.
Keenan is the only original member of the outfit that now includes the very talented Corina Round (who also happened to open up the show with her three piece solo band). The band is hard to describe but you can throw industrial, experimental, and comedy rock all into a blender and something that would resemble Puscifer would come out of it.
Before the show started, a video of Keenan appeared giving a little prelude of what was to happen and to reinforce that no cameras or recording devices were allowed. He went on to repeat it several times. On top of this, security also made note that cell phones were NOT to be taken out at any time in the theater during the performances. Not for any reason! Yes, living in 2012 doesn’t apply here unfortunately, but let’s get on with the show.
Even though Pusifer just delivered a new disc called Conditions of My Parole last October, the theme of the evening focused more on the first album, V is for Vagina. The band members were all decked out in either pilots’ or captains’ outfits as they were pretending to be chartering a plane via Vagina Airlines. Keenan and Round served peanuts to the crowd before each video was presented. They also, pretty much, sang behind screens that depicted odd images of their faces while doing it. The duo occasionally emerged to engage with the crowd by throwing peanuts, and Keenan serving up drinks to fellow band mates, and himself, of course. The jokes and messages that were in the videos broke up the show into about three parts.
Odd and strange seem to always come up when discussing Keenan. He wants you to experience and get connected with things that would expand your mind and horizons. He sure did that with this writer here. Round was the key element here as she worked very well with Maynard. She provided a lush sound that was very complementary to Keenan’s vocals. The band seemed to mesh right in and followed the direction from Keenan. The outfit ran through the songs with a crispness that comes from a band that has jelled and that was apparent here.
One of the most interesting shows I have ever witnessed and I have seen a wide array different kinds of shows over the past 25 years. I would have to admit that it’s a must for the open and willing mind!
Set List:
Video 1
Queen B
Vagina Mine
Dozo
Toma
Rapture
Video 2
Tiny Monsters
Rev2220
Weaver
Potions
Video 3
Horizons
Balls to the Wall
Conditions
Man Overboard
Telling Ghosts
Undertaker
We would like to thank Monica Seide from Speak Easy PR for allowing BackstageAxxess to review the show.
