Primus, Dean Ween Group @ Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide 11/4/2018
The infamous Thebarton Theatre has played host to some of the most amazing and best acts going around nationally and internationally and another one to add to that honour role is Primus. For me, this was the first time seeing this iconic band play with some saying they are responsible for the most cutting edge, irreverent and quirky music of the nineties defying any labels and being pigeonholed in any one category. For some, they simply don’t get it and without doubt an acquired taste. It was a tough night for me being full of a head cold and a bone cruncher of a headache all I can say is thank god for ear plugs, Panadol and a comfy chair!
The Dean Ween Group were fantastic openers and their rock spirit is well and truly alive. For now it is probably the closest we’ll get to Ween. Mickey Melchiondo, Jr. (more commonly known as Dean Ween) has pulled together an awesome rock band who were super tight and well and truly warmed the stage with a good airing of his latest album Rock 2 with the highlights of his set being Fingerbangin’ and the absolute smoking Carpenters cover Superstar which took a bit initially to pick (coincidentally also covered by Sonic Youth on the If I Was A Carpenter Tribute Album in 1994). There was plenty of humour in Fingerbangin’ with the Melchiondo smelling his finger as the band chant “aahh finger bangin’… hmm, you had to of been there.
The Primus fans diehards started to reclaim their positions down front with some even starting chanting for their band which added to the atmosphere. Some fans had some awesome Primus t-shirts and surprisingly were still in pretty good nick. The lights dimmed and the full production took hold and I tip my hat to Primus, what a show! Lights, visuals, sounds and all the things that Primus do and do so well worked so well. The set lists for this tour seemed to be get turned upside down and inside out with the Adelaide show being a bit different from the rest. With so many albums and so many Primus classics how can they do their classic such as Suck on This (1989), Frizzle Fry (1990), Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991), Pork Soda (1993) and Tales from the Punchbowl (1995) justice? Time would tell!
All the big singles were there including Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver which is described by many as the equivalent of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit. The crowd went nuts for this one and similarly for My Name Is Mud and Jerry Was A Race Car Driver. Last Salmon Man was about fucking up our fisheries and it was great to hear the relatively new tunes The Seven (made even better with the seven goblins that appeared on screen) and The Storm. Main man Les Claypool promised to “entertain the shit out of you” whilst reflecting on the day experiencing shiatsu massage and Tim Tams but also acknowledging Tim “Herb” Alexander’s birthday. The diehards responded and were hanging on to every moment of this show, they were faultless. The encore was a real treat with Southbound Pachyderm and the Dead Kennedys cover Holiday In Cambodia. Great show, time for a Panadol and a lay down!
Live Review by Rob Lyon