After over 27 years together, funk-metal giants—Primus—packed the house at Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater for a marvelously strange Sunday Fun Day.

By Alicia Armijo

For a band that came to prominence in the early 90s, they drew a remarkably diverse crowd of all ages. We’ve all got a little strange in us, right?

If you’re not familiar with the technically adept musicians of Primus, you might wonder what funk-metal is and how an unconventional band like Primus could still attract large crowds on a nationwide tour.  Reasonable questions, to be sure. Trust the insight of an avid listener and beholder of Sunday night’s spectacle that there is good reason why this quirky band continues to thrive.

Without any opener necessary, the bold trio enlivened the entire venue for two full, hit-packed sets. Amidst the magnificently coordinated light show and LED visuals, Primus crafted the first set with a mix of classics from their first eight studio albums. They had the crowd screaming “Primus Sucks!”—worry not, it’s a facetious, old slogan of theirs—as they launched into the always groovy, “Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers,” followed by “Fisticuffs.”

During a moment of unusual technical difficulty with lead guitarist Larry “Ler” LaLonde’s equipment, the band’s lead vocalist and brilliant bassist, Les Claypool, engaged the crowd with a heartfelt thanks to their VIP fans who came for a meet, greet and philosophical chat before the concert. Not letting a moment of the show go to waste, Les kept fans hooked by showcasing his ingenuity on bass as he struck into a particularly slap-happy bass solo.

With the minor technical glitch resolved, the whole band continued to wow and perplex the crowd. Playing one of their darkest tunes, Les ditched his tophat and electric bass for a startling pig mask and an upright bass to play their spine-chilling “Mr. Krinkle.” The band did a remarkable job of capturing the same eerie verve from their music video. Following this song, the band swiftly transitioned into “The Heckler,” which balanced alluring cyclical rhythms and punctuated, upbeat moments.

All the while, fans formed one of the strangest mosh pits that I have ever seen. These crazy funk-metal-heads formed a pit and shifted back and forth between thrashing violently against one another and groove-dancing with fellow fans to the music.

After progressing through their arsenal of memorable hits, the band took a brief intermission as the entire stage transformed into a fantastical garden for their second set. With eight studio albums already under their belt, they embarked on this tour to showcase their novel ninth LP, “The Desaturating Seven.”

During this second set, they played this new album in its entirety. This was an ingenious way to craft the show. Not only did they immediately grip and please their adoring fans with all of the songs that they know and love, but they gave the crowd the unique opportunity to see how they have built on their musical creativity with respect to this new album. After a whimsical, yet sinister second set, replete with peculiar costumes, the band returned for an encore and played the always charming “Hamburger Train” and “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver.”

Throughout the entire show, Primus entranced the masses with a performance that was strange in the best possible way. On the face of it, one could easily see and appreciate Primus as a wacky, weird trio, but dedicated fans would say they are much more than that.

Without a doubt, what has kept Primus flourishing is their technically genius musicianship, their uncanny variety in sound over their discography and their ability to create compelling and lovable music for old and new fans alike without formula. To appreciate Primus, requires one to take a deeper look at these elements of their works and see beyond their apparently abstract and quirky aesthetic. If you’re feeling funky and want to challenge your ideas about what creative music is, Primus is well-worth a listen.