The Sessanta Tour 4/12 Irving, TX Toyota Music Factory, featuring A Perfect Circle, Primus, and Puscifer. By Matt Stubbs of the Jerry Jonestown Massacre Podcast. Photography by Dustin Schneider
Ahh yes, Sessanta, the celebration of the 60th. It’s something I’m quickly headed towards, so I don’t like to think about it. But I hope I can celebrate it the way Maynard James Keenan celebrated his 60th year of birth, on Friday night. Maynard had his friends from A Perfect Circle, Primus, and Puscifer all on stage hanging out and jamming. A big-time Generation X wow factor of a music performance.
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool's lead vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The band's lineup has seen several changes over the years, but some of its core members have included Billy Howerdel, Maynard James Keenan, James Iha (of The Smashing Pumpkins), MAtt McJunkins, and Josh Freese, one of rock's greatest session players ever. Josh’s live resume you could say is quite impressive as well and could easily fill the word count of this review. It was so fun to hear them again. The whole Pavilion was singing along to every APC song. By the way, all the bands sounded really good on Friday night. This was one of the best-sounding shows I’ve heard at the Toyota Music Factory.
Primus is a distinct American rock band known for their eccentric style, eclectic sound, and virtuosic musicianship. I’ve seen Primus several times and it’s always amazing to hear and witness live. Many have tried to imitate what Les Claypool does on vocals and bass guitar, but all have failed. Don’t even attempt it kids, just play Lego bass guitar with the others. Everyone danced while Primus ripped through their hits. Even the man of the evening, MJK, could be seen head bobbing to the thumping rhythms of Primus. Another cool thing about this show was the bands hung out on stage while they were not playing. It was neat seeing a stage of rock n roll superstars all lounging around and checking out the other rock n roll superstars playing their supergroup’s songs and at times joining in the jammage.
Puscifer has become such a musical force at my house these days. My daughters listen to them, my friends are into them, and my wife is into them, Yellowstone is into them? I just can’t say it enough, anytime Puscifer comes to your town to play you should always try to get out to that show. The band sounded great, the stage was intimate in a cool way, not the serial killer way. The lighting was phenomenal as well. It was a great evening of awesome rock greatness, that’s aging like fine wine. Wink wink Keenan.
The Sessanta Show, featuring A Perfect Circle, Primus, and Puscifer at the Toyota Music Factory on Friday night, could have been very meh. I’ve seen bands play tours like this before, and you could tell they had just kinda mailed it in for their sets and energy. But this was not the case for this show. I’m getting to the point that everything Maynard does is genius. At least I’m assuming so. The entire evening ran like a well-oiled machine and was executed perfectly, with little to no delay between each band as they swapped out on stage every 3-4 songs.
One last thing. I’d like to personally thank Toyota Music Complex in Irving, Texas for having the fans running over the seating pavilion. It was very comfortable and quite refreshing.
