Drawing in crowds of adoring fans and irate religious protesters alike, Puscifer made their long-awaited return to Chicago on April 25.
The rock group, led by front man Maynard James Keenan alongside vocalist Carina Round and the multi-talented instrumentalist Mat Mitchell, brought the house down for passionate fans on Saturday night at the legendary Chicago Theatre; protestors were, perhaps to their displeasure, not allowed inside the venue to witness Puscifer’s Normal Isn’t tour. Worry not, protestors did not at all appear to dampen the spirits of arriving fans.
Opening comedian-musician Dave Hill had the crowd buzzing with anticipation for Puscifer’s performance. There were nunchaku (nunchucks), bicycles, and shredding (oh my!) within the first two minutes of his performance alone. With a deep history in both songwriting and comedy, Hill delivered a charming blend of silly bits, 4-second song covers, and displays of his glorious guitar abilities. There were many directly-into-the-mic coughs and rousing rounds of “Dave” chanting.
Dave Hill, opening for Puscifer.
Though a photographer's time covering his act was limited, our time was concluded with a series of original slam-poetry-style ads for the Dollar Tree; whether these were meant to attract or deter potential customers is TBD. His quick-moving, precise, and beautifully disconnected bits kept the Dave-loving crowd light and engaged. Even after leaving the auditorium after photographing Hill’s set, you could hear chants of “Dave” booming through the building.
Shortly after, we returned to cover the main event. Puscifer, widely described as a creative playground for frontman Keenan, opened their show with a short comic-style video alerting concert-goers that phone use will have them targeted for pulverization — a seemingly effective threat considering I did not see a single phone out throughout the night.
Keenan performing.
The show was, as one could expect, anything but normal. Touring with their perfectly titled Normal Isn’t album, the group utilized minimalistic and industrial stage visuals that let their performance shine brightest. Their beautiful light design was obviously meticulously crafted to complement, not distract from or overpower, their theatrical dancing and costuming; lighting often backlit the band, obscuring their faces.
Round and Keenan.
Photojournalists stashed their gear and returned to the crowd after the first two songs of the show. The crowd was completely entranced upon our return. Some fans were seemingly restrained from jumping about only by the design of the venue. I strongly suspect that a general admission venue would have resulted in significantly more dancing.
Both Keenan’s and Round’s voices played unique and irreplaceable roles in the performance. Round’s voice is an instrument in itself, both hauntingly beautiful and clear. Keenan’s deep and rasping voice broke through the noise of the band, whose percussion almost rivaled vocals for dominance at times. Keenan’s stiff and almost militaristic movements throughout the show contrasted Round’s often eerie flow. Instrumentalist Mat Mitchell primarily played from the shadows, though his music was not nearly as hidden as he was.
Mitchell and Keenan.
Despite being regarded as an esoteric group, Chicago packed the 3,500-capacity venue. Now whether or not everyone was in the know, it was a show clearly loved regardless. Fans bobbed and headbanged throughout Puscifer’s performance of new hits from Normal Isn’t — Self Evident, Normal Isn’t, and Pendulum all made an excitedly received appearance at the start of the show. The Arsonist, a song first featured on Puscifer’s 2015 project Money Shot, evoked such a strong reaction from the crowd that it was evident their base has long been invested in their projects. I will confess, I still do not entirely understand the music but could not help but join the collective of entranced audience members.
Puscifer’s tour continues in North America through May 14th in Los Angeles before beginning a brief Australia/New Zealand tour in December. It is a show that questions, captivates, and remains in your head long after you have left and is absolutely worth stepping out to see.
You can find Puscifer on social media on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X.
Puscifer.
