One of the most memorable shows I've seen in Houston thus far was Puscifer, the band that does for lascivious alternative electro-rock what Maynard James Keenan's other band Tool does for progressive metal.
When Puscifer played Jones Hall in November 2009, I was expecting something like the grind-y songs on the band's 2007 album "V" Is for Vagina, but instead got something like a perverted Grand Ole Opry, propagating every tired flyover-country stereotype deep in the heart of Texas. For a guy who owns his own brand of wine, he has got some kind of wicked white-trash fetish.
"Maybe Keenan figured all the crackers down in Houston town would think Circle Jerks jokes told in a cornpone twang, cracks about "country boners" and an entire song that was nothing but he and [female vocalist] Hildy trading lines about fucking practically the entire Country Music Hall of Fame were high-larious, and we'd all laugh our Urban Cowboy asses off," I wrote.
So later it turned out to be a big joke, and Puscifer played a much more Pusciferesque second set. But I didn't stick around for that -- they had already wasted enough of my time.
When I found out later that Puscifer came back out, I was a little embarrassed. Had I known they were going to play two sets, I probably would have stuck around through the rest. I'm sorry, but the first one was pretty bad.
But not knowing another set was coming, I could not get out of there fast enough. I still don't regret walking out. It's too bad the commenting system we use on the blogs has changed since then, because it made for some very interesting reading.
This morning Puscifer announced a three-week tour that starts at the Bonnaroo festival June 9 and stops by the Bayou Music Center June 27. I had a flashback to that night in 2009 when I saw the cover of Puscifer's new album, Conditions of My Parole, but the music turns out to be as dark and twisted as a good Puscifer album should be. Not a steel guitar in sight.
So no hard feelings, Maynard. See you in June.
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