Photos and Review by Jessica Lewis
Sunday evening buzzed with anticipation. As thousands gathered beneath the natural sandstone monoliths of Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. Parking lots filled early as concertgoers steadily made the climb toward one of the most iconic music venues in the country. These massive towering red rock formations make the mountainside setting legendary in acoustics that amplify the sound. Surrounded by a panoramic view, the Rocky Mountain skyline creates an atmosphere unlike anywhere else. Red Rocks feels less like attending a concert and more like participating in an experience.
This past weekend became another memorable gathering in the iconic venue as Puscifer, sold out the amphitheater! Drawing nearly 10,000 devoted fans for an evening of experimental rock, rebellious energy and a top tier musical performance.
Supporters have remained deeply loyal to Maynard James Keenan throughout his artistic evolution from Tool to A Perfect Circle and eventually Puscifer. Embracing the distinct identity each project carries. That loyalty was reflected throughout the crowd Sunday evening with a very diverse audience spanning generations united through appreciation. Longtime Tool fans stood alongside younger folk discovering rock for the first time. While families, with children, filled the rows throughout the venue. The reach of Keenan’s music across decades and audiences remains genuinely remarkable!
As ominous clouds rolled across the evening sky, Dave Hill opened the night. A combination of solo guitar work and dark, quirky comedy that immediately established the strange tone of the evening. By the end of the set break, the place felt completely alive with restless excitement and mounting tension from the crowd of what was still to come.
Before the grand, Puscifer performance began, a message appeared on the side screens requesting that fans refrain from recording during the show. Instead, embrace the night fully in the moment. Animated visuals featuring stylized renderings of Keenan and Carina reinforced the request in true Puscifer creativity and fashion. Bizarre, clever, and slightly hypnotic.
As daylight disappeared, the canyon walls displayed their red hue as fog drifted across the stage. The ceremony officially began. Puscifer opened with “Thrust” of their new alumn Normal Isn’t which was released in February of this year. Emerging slowly through layers of haze and atmospheric lighting. Hidden partially behind the veil, Keenan and Carina’s vocal interplay exposed contrast between visceral, haunting restraint and soaring emotional depth.
Guitarist, Mat Mitchell layered ambient textures and complex melodies throughout the performance. He serves as a major creative force behind the band’s creative sound. Bassist, Josh Moreau delivered deep pulsating grooves infused with synth textures. While percussionist, Gunnar Olsen balanced restraint and intensity through hypnotic rhythmic patterns. These layers echoed throughout the open air venue reverberating sound into the audience. The band was fully synchronized, moving cohesively allowing each visual and musical element to build upon the next.
Short animated interludes between songs added another layer of absurdist wit before the band returned with “The Arsonist” from Money Shot. The setlist continued with fan favorites including Bullet Train to Iowa, The Remedy, The Humbling River, and Grand Canyon. Each transforming the band’s darker eccentric instrumentation with a touch of playfulness mixed with drollery is what makes their performance so distinctive. The set also featured a noticeable interpretation of “Momma Sed,” while “Conditions of My Parole” delivered the evening’s finale
As the final notes echoed through the canyon walls, Puscifer left the sea of fans at Red Rocks with yet another unforgettable chapter added to the venue’s legendary history. Dave Hill returned during the encore only to be theatrically chased offstage moments later, bringing the evening to an absurd and fitting conclusion.
Puscifer – https://puscifer.com/
