Maynard James Keenan’s 61st birthday party is a month-and-a-half-long celebration, including a party at Blossom Music Center tonight (May 25, 2025) on the Sessanta V2.0 Tour. Add a pavilion and lawn filled with thousands of Keenan’s more distant friends, and it didn’t matter if it was Sunday night; fans stayed up past their bedtime for an event that stretched almost three hours.
This cross-country trek unites three innovative bands—Primus, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer—each known for their distinctive sounds and artistic approaches.
Although MJK’s birthday was over a month ago (April 17), Puscifer’s Carina Round delivered him a birthday cake during the show.
Primus is led by bassist and vocalist Les Claypool, whose virtuosic slap-bass technique and eccentric vocals define the band’s unique sound. Primus has developed a cult following and is recognized for its innovative sound and offbeat sense of humor, which has influenced a wide range of artists across genres.
A Perfect Circle and Puscifer, both fronted by Keenan, are distinctly different acts. APC is the brainchild of guitarist Billy Howerdel, with Keenan lending his writing and vocal talents (when not busy with his most prominent project, Tool). Puscifer is hard to put into words. SPIN once called the act, “X-rated episode of ‘Hee-Haw'” — I’m not sure if that’s accurate, but however one describes the band, it’s equally as bizarre.
As should be expected from acts fronted by Keenan and Claypool, the stage was… unique, to stay the least. (Dare I call it “weird”?) There were stairs on both the left and right sides of the stage that had lifts on both sides that are typically reserved for elderly folks or people with mobility issues. Keenan and Claypool took full advantage of these.
The stage had two floors. At the top of each set of stairs were couch-sitting areas. This lets all the other bands a place to lounge and enjoy their tourmates while not performing.
The stage had a lot of low lighting. All lighting came from behind. The drum kits were more illuminated than other parts of the stage due to their location in the rear of the setup.
A Perfect Circle opened the night with a three-song set, which included “Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums,” closing with “Blue,” and sandwiching “Disillusioned” in between. Keenan was dressed in a suit and rocking a spiked mohawk.
There were three drum sets present onstage at all times. They were all on the second floor. They went from left to right: Primus’ drummer, John Hoffman (who recently beat out stiff competition during a lengthy audition process), Puscifer’s Gunnar Olsen, and then recently-fired-from-Foo-Fighters drummer, Josh Freese of APC, on the top right.
Claypool discussed being on this same tour in 2024 and asked if anyone was a repeat customer. He boasted how much fun this tour has been and noted how happy the shows make him.
“Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers” started Primus’ first appearance of the night. This was followed by “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” from their 1995 record, ‘Tales from the Punchbowl.’
Keenan returned to the stage with his other outfit, Puscifer, doubling up on the workload required of Claypool. (As of press time, it is unknown if his paycheck reflects his efforts by rewarding him with a higher dollar amount.)
The group began with “Man Overboard” from their 2011 album, ‘Conditions of My Parole.’
While APC differs from Keenan’s (not-performing-tonight) act, Tool, by offering more melodic music and introspective lyrics, Puscifer redefines multiple genres, has absurd shows, and leaves this review writer at a loss for words. While I don’t necessarily enjoy their music on the same level as MJK’s other two projects, they are a spectacle worth the price of admission.
Three bands; three sets complete. Show over? Ha! Hardly. Each of the bands had a second act up their sleeve and each returned, this time allotted an additional song each.
Mixing it up, Primus was the first up for Act II. Claypool had a false start on “Little Lord Fentanyl,” their most recent single, and had to restart. The highlight from their second go-round was “My Name is Mud” from the 1993 release, ‘Pork Soda.’
With his unorthodox style, it’s abundantly clear why Claypool is widely considered one of the greatest and most unique bass players in rock music, due to a combination of technical skill, innovation, and fearless creativity.
Four more Puscifer songs, highlighted by “Bullet Train to Iowa” off of ‘Existential Reckoning’ gave way to the return of APC, who win the award for this critic’s favorite performer of the evening.
Keenan, an Ohio native, mentioned he was born in Akron and attended elementary school and middle school in Ravenna. He said there was a bit of a dark cloud around those years and that he was conflicted about them. He went on to say that everyone in attendance tonight helped lift that cloud and thanked fans in the most genuine tone possible.
Primus got one last song in, “Southbound Pachyderm,” with assistance from Howerdel, Olsen, and Freese. The song went on, and on, and on… totaling approximately 15 minutes. With so much talent on one stage, it was fitting that they needed a lengthy number for everyone to shine.
I’m still unsure why Claypool was sporting a mirror ball helmet, but I’m going to try one out at my next party. Why not?
The evening closed with all three acts onstage at once, rocking Puscifer’s “Grand Canyon.”
The show wasn’t all fun and games. Or was it? Keenan and Round squared off in a tense game of Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots, where MJK emerged victorious. And, what concert is complete without two drummers battling out to a rhythmic game of ping pong? I was unsure whether to laugh or scratch my head at these moments, so I simultaneously did both.
As with all MJK projects, there was zero photo and video shooting tolerance. Keenan said he wants everyone to be present in the moment. What may come across as egotistical is actually refreshing. It’s a relief not to have to watch a show through the 6″ screen of the guy four inches taller in the row directly in front of me. For the last number, fans were granted permission to bring out their phones to record, which would have led to an immediate ejection at any other point during the show.
The show was well attended, even more crowded than I anticipated. Sure, Tool plays to sold-out arenas, but APC, Pusifer, and Les Claypool’s projects are all held at moderately scaled-down venues. I almost anticipated the ~6,000-capacity pavilion to be enough to omit lawn sales. Damn, was I wrong!
The union of Primus, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer leaves behind more than just a trail of packed venues and thunderous applause—it marks a moment in music history where innovation, artistry, and raw performance collided. From Primus’ warped genius and genre-defying grooves, to A Perfect Circle’s haunting precision and emotional depth, and Puscifer’s theatrical, boundary-pushing spectacle, this tour was a celebration of creative freedom in its purest form.
Together, these three forces didn’t just share a stage—they created a sonic experience that transcended expectations and reminded fans why music is still one of the most powerful forms of expression.
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