Puscifer Celebrate ‘Normal Isn’t’ at OLG Stage in Niagara Falls, ON [Photos]

Puscifer is one of the many projects of Maynard James Keenan, and like most of his projects, it comes with a new sound. In the case of Puscifer, it tracks a more experimental sound compared to his other projects.

Off the back of their new album titled Normal Isn’t, a little over a month after releasing the album, the band took off on tour, and near the middle of all the dates ended up at their only Canadian date, right across the border in Niagara Falls at OLG Stage.

The tour brought Dave Hill on tour, an opener who brings a mix of comedy and rock and roll throughout his 30-minute set. He kicked off his set by rolling onto the stage on a bicycle, before instructing the crowd to chant “Dave” whenever there was a break in between his speaking.

The most shocking part about Hill’s set was the fact that he can shred incredibly well. It was clear it wasn’t backing tracks since he had to mess around with the pedalboard to get his guitar to turn on, but when it turned on, he was shredding like Eddie Van Halen out of nowhere.

After some stand-up comedy about Dollarama and pick-up lines that can only be used in Niagara Falls, he picked the guitar back up, but instead was joined by a band. They played some of his original songs for the last ten minutes, before hopping back on the bike he rode earlier, and riding off stage.

As mentioned earlier, Puscifer kicked off this tour to promote their album Normal Isn’t. This tour introduced a new alter ego of Maynard James Keenan, calling him “Bellendia Black.” This new ego included face paint and a massive mohawk, and this past evening, Niagara Falls was introduced to Bellendia Black.

The set saw the band play the new album in its entirety, not in order, but spread throughout the setlist while sprinkling some fan favourites like “Momma Sed” and “The Humbling River” throughout.

The stage design was interesting, with multiple levels, which helped give Keenan and Carina Round the ability to walk around the stage, and if you’ve ever seen Puscifer or even Keenan live, you know he has some wacky stage antics.

On the second last song, “Conditions of My Parole,” a familiar face came rolling back out. Dave Hill appeared from the curtains, riding the same bike he came out on during his set. This time, it was a little easier for him to stop, and he didn’t end up crashing into anything again.

The final song of the setlist, “A Public Stoning,” is where Hill got involved. During the outro of the song, Dave Hill grabbed a guitar and started playing his own solo, plus a little bit of “Crazy Train.”

If there’s anything I have to say about this show, and the tour in general. It’s a crazy ride. Coming out with a comedian as your opener who can also shred is one in a million, and I don’t think anyone was expecting it. This show is a must-see for fans of Maynard James Keenan, and if you enjoy any of his work, you’ll enjoy the most recent release, Normal Isn’t.