Puscifer
Money Shot Round 2
March 22nd, 2016
Omaha, Nebraska
The Orpheum Theatre
Que dijiste mamon?
Dije foto… no joto!
As I walked around the corner of the Orpheum, I saw a small group had gathered at the performers door. Puscifer’s current bass player, and member of Ministry, Paul Barker had taken the time to chat with fans and take photos. It’s always a treat to see band members interact with their fans. Barker left no hand unshaked, no hug refused, and everyone left with a selfie.
Walking in to the Orpheum Theatre, fans were greeted by security checks. Pat downs. Metal detector wands. Purses were searched. Pockets were turned inside out. Safety first for the fans and the band. Fans were also greeted by numerous signs regarding the use of cellphones at tonight’s show. Recording devices were strictly prohibited and would be confiscated if used. Maynard doesn’t fuck around with fans who pay more attention to their mobile devices than the show. I would be the only exception to tonight’s rule. The band would allow me to shoot all of Luchafer’s set, and the 1st and 2nd song of Puscifer’s set. Security was tight though, and I’d only be allowed to shoot from the back of the venue.
No knows exactly what to expect from Maynard James Keenan when any of his band’s take the stage. Tonight’s Puscifer show would be no exception. There would be luchador wrestling, juggling, music and cock fights.
For the band’s Money Shot Round 2 Tour, there would be no opening musical act. Instead, the crowd would be treated to Luchafer, a Puscifer inspired Luchador wrestling match.
As the house lights dimmed, and the stage lights burst to life, 3 masked men, and 2 masked women, walked on stage. The five wrestlers of Luchafer, two dressed in red, 2 in blue, and one sporting black spider jumper, put on a highly choreographed half hour show that was full of spin kicks, round house whirls, and balancing on the wrestling ring’s ropes. Fans who purchased the VIP Experience were allowed to sit on metal bleachers that lined both sides of the stage. Honestly, it was really cool. I’ve never been a fan of pro-wrestling but these 5 peeps put on an amazing show. More importantly, the fans screamed and cheered during Luchafer’s entire performance. Their time in the ring was a roaring success.
Puscifer always creates a unique experience for their fans. The Orpheum Theatre normally houses plays and musicals. The venue is 100% assigned seating. There would be no moshing at tonight’s show.
Utilizing the wresting ring already set up, there was a short intermission between Luchafer’s exiting the stage and Puscifer taking the stage.
After a few minutes, the houselights darkened. LCD screens popped to life and Puscifer’s General gave a short speech about barring the use of cellphones to record videos or take photos, and how rude it is to be one your mobile devices at a concert. Keenan has always banned the crowd from taking photos during his shows, no matter which band he’s on stage with.
As the General’s speech wound down, a spotlight was aimed center stage on drummer Jeff Friedl and Simultaneous began to play. With keyboardist Mahsa Zargaran on stage left, guitarist Mat Mitchell and bassist Paul Barker on stage right, soft purple lights bathed the stage and Maynard James Keenan and Carina Round came into focus. Round and Keenan were standing in the middle of the wrestling ring. Keenan wore a black suit and matching luchador mask. Round was dressed in a simple knee length black puritan dress, her hair neatly pulled up. Each slightly swaying back and forth behind their microphone stand. The Luchafer wrestlers now sat on the sidelines.
The first act of Puscifer’s set would be 3 tracks selected off of the band’s most current release, Money Shot. The visuals were kept to a minimum during the first act. The stage lights alternated between blue, purple and red while the band carefully built their sonic landscape.
Keenan and Round left the ring, and placed themselves on either side of Friedl’s drum kit.
Keenan then asked the crowd if they were tired. The crowd screamed NO in unison.
“Are you all over 50?”
NO!
“Then get off your asses,” Keenan replied. “If I can stand up here the whole time, so can you.”
This was all the prodding it took for the fans to stand up out of their reserved seats.
The tracks for the band’s second act continued to pick up the pace. Vagina Mine’s tempo was given a heavier vibe, while Horizons bass was cranked up a few levels. The Arsonist led directly into The Remedy. By the time The Remedy had hit it’s first chorus, the fans were bouncing around. Maybe there would be a mosh pit tonight? The LCD screen at the back of the stage played a chaotic array of videos, ranging from scenic landscapes to luchadore wrestling. The Luchafer wrestlers even made their way to the front of the stage and continued to perform a toned down version of their set, mostly with idle threats and exaggerated hand motions and body language.
Life of Brian opened the band’s 3rd act, and the mellow tones of the track gave the fans a chance to catch their breath before Keenan announced Carina Round and the songstress controlled the crowd with her solo rendition of REV 22:20. The track was the first released by the band on the Underworld soundtrack and has quickly become a fan favorite. Round’s vocals on it strengthen the sexual overtone and give it a increasingly brutal feel. It’s a unique experience to hear the song’s sexual message from a woman’s perspective.
Grand Canyon followed, and the LCD screen played images of serine desserts, cactus, and rolling thunder banks as Round and Zargaran strengthened the track with their backing vocals. The crashing bassline and electronic notes burst to life as they were timed perfectly with the images flashing across the screen. The tracks outtro bled seamlessly into The Rapture.
The 5 track second act would be rounded out with Breathe, the only track to be played off of the band’s Donkey Punch the Night release. It would also be the track that almost ruined the show. During the tracks 1st chorus, as Keenan screamed the lyrics, the speakers began to pop and crackle. The crowd wasn’t the only one to notice the glitch. Round looked to stage left, frustration etched on her face. I looked around the theatre and saw people confused by the extra noise. The band wasn’t playing a remix of the track. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. Being the showman that they are though, the band played on through the erratic noise. The speakers had blown.
While the crowd was still confused by what was happening, Round took to her phone and started recording the crowd. Keenan even joined in, taking a few selfies and recording a video of the fans screaming for more Puscifer. Then the oddities happened. A small ring was brought on stage, and Keenan and Round were handed large mechanical black roosters. They placed the roosters in the right, and the two cocks whirled and spun about in a mock cock fight. It was comical, but the crowd was quickly moving to the edge of a revolt. Round took another video of the crowds reaction and Keenan grabbed three of Friedl’s drumsticks. Keenan then attempted his best juggling act, which was little more than him throwing the sticks in the air and trying to catch them.
After a few awkward moments, Keenan grabbed his mic and addressed the crowd. “This is why you should never run your microwave and hairdryer at the same time.”
The band wasted no time shredding into Toma, the first track of the band’s 4th act, and the fans screamed in approval. The band kept the heavy momentum moving forward with Telling Ghosts. Fans were bouncing around, pumping their fists in the air. Collectively we were singing every word of every track the band played. Puscifer fans are definitely some of the most dedicated that any band could ask for.
Keenan then introduced the band, and asked if we had enough energy left for a few more tracks. The crowd replied with a thunderous YES.
Flippant lead into Conditions of My Parole, which tied into Moneyshot. The night was coming to a close though, and Puscifer had saved their heaviest for the last, Man Overboard. The atmosphere of the crowd changed dramatically during the band’s heaviest tracks, and Man Overboard was no exception. The fans cheered and screamed out each word, and did their best to not break into a mosh pit.
Puscifer used their set perfectly to guide the fans through an incredible sonic landscape. The heavy tracks mixed in with the ballads. The songs played tonight ran the gauntlet of emotions. It was perfect.
As the final chords of Man Overboard faded, the band exited the stage. After a few moments of cheers and more screams from the fans, the band walked back on stage. Keenan thanks the crowd for their continued support of his art.
Having already pushed the crowd to their emotional limits, the band chose to showcase two of their most peaceful tracks as an encore. The Humbling River and Autumn closed out the evening, and gave the fans a chance to sit back and relax for a few more minutes. But no one was sitting. As Keenan and Round sang, the fans’ voices lifted in unison and nearly drown out the band. It was the perfect end to an amazing set.
What is Puscifer? Keenan describes Puscifer as “simply a playground for the various voices in my head, […] a space with no clear or discernible goals, […] where my Id, Ego and Anima all come together to exchange cookie recipes.” Simply put, Puscifer is an all encompassing artist experience.
Setlist:
Set [Act 1]
Simultaneous
Galileo
Agostina
Set [Act 2]
Vagina Mine
Horizons
The Arsonist
The Remedy
Set [Act 3]
Life of Brian (Apparently You Haven’t Seen)
Rev 22:20 [Carina Round on lead vocals]
Grand Canyon
The Rapture (Fear is a Mind Killa Mix)
Breathe
Set [Act 4]
Toma
Telling Ghosts
Flippant
Conditions of My Parole
Money Shot
Man Overboard
Encore:
The Humbling River
Autumn
