What IS a Puscifer?

Starting the set off, the lights went up to reveal a tent in the center of the stage.  Maynard suddenly appeared on the video screen behind him, apparently talking to his manager on his mobile while surfing the web on his laptop.  "What the f*ck do you want?  I gave the band the night off so we could go camping in Canada!!" was met with wild approval by an audience who isn't used to bands actually extending the typical city-specific welcome beyond the basic "YO VANCOUVER!"

Then again, this is Maynard.  Who KNOWS what's going to happen?  Emerging from the tent in a two-tone suit and dark sunglasses, Maynard casually strolled the stage, wine in hand, as one of his "characters", Major Douche, appeared on the video screen in a scene reminiscent of "Patton", informing the audience that flash photography is for assholes.  Perhaps it was by band request, or the venue decided to be difficult, but anybody caught even LOOKING at their cell phone was treated to a blinding flashlight in the face and threats to take them away.  Considering I always use my iPhone to write notes on, I had to resort to good old-fashioned human memory this time around.

Perhaps the most memorable, and coolest visual of the night was Maynard and the backup vocalist singing into fisheye night-vision cameras mounted on the back of two TV monitors that gave the illusion of giant, square digital heads on fleshy bodies.  Scattered around the stage, various band members lounged in lawn chairs, surfed the net on Maynard's laptop, and drank wine, when they weren't playing.  There were about 11 people onstage at one point, trading between mandolins, samplers, keyboards, backup guitars, extra percussionists, and even one random bozo who managed to get onstage and walk right into the middle of things.  He must not have seen that footage of Maynard mangling some fan at a Tool gig years ago.  Fortunately, he was dragged offstage before anyone even realized what was happening.  Or maybe that was part of the show....?

With a rotating cast of band members, Maynard and friends treated us to a richer, fuller set than I would have expected.  I've heard of some Puscifer shows that were all country, or noise-core experiments with comedy interludes.  Tonight was definitely about pimping both their first EP, "V Is For Vagina", and their latest (Nov. 10) release: "C Is For (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference HERE)" and showing that although they like to goof off, they can definitely play some hypnotically heavy pop with authority.  "Polar Bear", "The Mission", "Trekka", "Sour Grapes" (Hallelujah!!!), all rocked, as did "Queen B", which featured five extra monitors onstage, showing closeup footage of someone's mouth singing along

Early into the set, Maynard made a trip back to the tent, accompanied by a video camera, to drag a lurking bandmember out into the spotlight.  Whoever it was had reservations about going out there, because as the camera would quickly reveal, he was dressed up as the tooth fairy with a frilly skirt, a wand, blue hair, and butterfly wings.  "Come on, man!"  Maynard coaxed: "This will be FUNNY!  Tim Alexander as the Tooth Fairy?  That's f*ckin' FUNNY, man!"

Tim Alexander?  As in Tim "Herb" Alexander from Primus?  I was not expecting that, but hell, yeah, I'll take it!!  Emerging from the tent to assume the position behind the kit for "Momma Sed", Alexander didn't pull out any of the acrobatics he's most famous for with Primus, but pulled off a solid foundation for a truly trippy, catchy tune, then headed over to hang out on the laptop for awhile, taking the odd break to get up and beat on the secondary drum set.

Along with several video highlights, including a cameo by comedian Brian Posehn and Maynard's "f*ucking" ex-wife, this show is a multi-media extravaganza that doesn't depend on the visuals to make the show, but they certainly add to the experience.  While not all of the gags are as funny as they could be, there is a strange little niche of abstract, pointless, sexual/religious humor that Puscifer fills nicely.  And they don't try as hard as one of Maynard's other "comedy" bands, Green Jelly.

As an added bonus, they even threw in a free "V Is for Vagina" CD to everyone on the way out.   Everybody loves Vagina.

Go getcha some here: http://www.puscifer.com