Puscifer – Vector Arena January 29, 2017

Maynard James Keenan’s Puscifer closed out their Money Shot tour at Auckland’s Vector Arena, bringing the multi-media show, complete with masked wrestlers, to several thousand hard-core fans.

It’s been almost two years since Keenan was last here. That was with Tool… a show where the band leader remained in the shadows and otherwise kept a low profile.

And while Maynard still (frustratingly) still insists on remaining in the dark, he was much more of a presence, speaking to the crowd often, and generally seeming to be enjoying himself.

The show started at 8pm with Luchafer… five masked Mexican-style wrestlers (3 male, 2 female) who threw each other around in and off the wrestling ring built on the stage. This went on for about 30 minutes… entertaining for a while, but for me, not a huge wrestling fan, it could have been shorter. Their athleticism is to be admired, but the act itself was a bit tiresome.

With the ring still in place, the band took the stage just after 8:30. In addition to Keenan on vocals, we saw and heard vocalist Carina Round, introduced later as “vocalist in crime”, she also played guitar and various other stringed instruments, Maynard’s “partner in Puscifer,” Mat Mitchell on guitar, former Ministry member Paul Barker on bass, drummer Jeff Friedl and keyboard player Mahsa Zargaran.

In addition to the musicians, there were films projected behind the stage and the wrestlers returned several times… once simulating a cock fight with mechanical roosters.

Musically, the band sounded spot on, dark and powerful and at times, quite beautiful.

Along with the videos and wrestlers, Carina Round helped make up for the lack of a visual focus by swirling around like a Gothic Stevie Nicks. Still, the show did suffer from Keenan’s refusal to stand in any light whatsoever.

The crowd didn’t seem to mind. When Maynard announced, “In April I’ll be 53. Roughly a year ago I had my hip fully replaced and yet I’m standing and you’re not,” they rose immediately for Horizons.

At the end, Maynard noted that this was the final show of the tour and said they would do an extra song. There were actually three more to come.

Autumn, he said, was dedicated to “everyone we’ve lost in the last 18 months,” The Humbling River was for the Women’s March Global and Smoke And Mirrors, with its scathing lyrics, “you’re a snake, you’re a liar,” was dedicated to “Vampire Politicians.”

There was something for everyone at this final Puscifer show… now if Maynard would just step into the light…

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Ivan Karczewski:

Puscifer set list:

  1. Simultaneous
  2. Galileo
  3. Agostina
  4. Vagina Mine
  5. Horizons
  6. The Arsonist
  7. The Remedy
  8. Life Of Brian (Apparently You Haven’t Seen)
  9. Rev 22:20
  10. Grand Canyon
  11. The Rapture (Fear Is A Mind Killa Mix)
  12. Breathe
  13. Toma
  14. Telling Ghosts
  15. Flippant
  16. Conditions Of My Parole
  17. Money Shot
  18. Man Overboard
  19. Smoke And Mirrors
  20. The Humbling River
  21. Autumn