A Night of "Normal Isn't" With Puscifer in San Diego | Live Reviews

Puscifer came to San Diego, CA, on the second-to-last stop of their “Normal Isn’t” tour. And normal most definitely is not. It is difficult to explain the music or the feeling of Puscifer. Just when I think I could maybe explain it, I think of something different. It’s definitely an experience, but more on that later. The San Diego Civic Theatre hosted the midweek sold-out show. Designed by architect Lloyd Ruocco and built in 1965, the theatre seats about 2,900 people and is the largest performing arts center in the region.

Opening for Puscifer on this tour is comedian/musician/actor/writer/podcast host Dave Hill. As part of his 30-minute stand-up set, Hill brought his quick wit, a couple guitars, some props, a drummer, and a bass player. After entering the stage on a brightly colored BMX bike (referencing his love for BMX and the BMX videos he shares on social media), Hill told the audience not to chant “Dave, Dave, Dave!”, which immediately led to the audience doing exactly that. During his set, he told jokes, played guitar, and incorporated the props. His guitar playing was especially impressive, and the addition of the other musicians helped round out the end of his routine, finishing with one final audience chant of “Dave, Dave, Dave!”

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The headliner, Puscifer, began with an introductory video and the song “We Understand,” during which the audience stayed seated. Once the band took the stage at the end of the intro, everyone instantly stood to take in all that Puscifer was about to offer. And that offering was an experience.

Puscifer was formed by singer Maynard James Keenan (of Tool and A Perfect Circle). The core lineup consists of Keenan, Mat Mitchell, and Carina Round, with Gunnar Olsen and Josh Moreau on this tour.

Describing Puscifer is not an easy task, which is probably the intention. People likely walk away with completely different interpretations. The performance felt like an assortment of emotions and reflections of a busy mind, with random thoughts, darkness, chaos, and quiet optimism all crashing together through performance art, a mix of synchronized and sporadic movements, and music that blends industrial, synth-driven, and tribal sounds into something satisfyingly meditative. There is a message in each song, and you need to pay attention to grasp it in your own way. The visuals added a lot to the atmosphere. Thick fog, shifting lights, strobes, deep colors, and glimpses of darkness all added to the unpredictable feel of the show.

Keenan portrays Bellendia Black on this tour, a character from the band’s comic book series “Tales from the Pusciverse” and the song “Pendulum” on the “Normal Isn’t” album. The pairing of Keenan and Round works especially well, with their voices and movements sometimes competing and other times perfectly complementing each other. The musicians as a whole were incredibly tight, each highlighted at exactly the right moment.

The true fans of Puscifer were easy to spot in some ways, and not easy to spot in others. Some chose to sing along, some chose to move to the music, and some simply chose to stand still, completely immersed in the music and the scene unfolding on stage.

Puscifer began the second half of their set after the short intermission with “The Arsonist,” which immediately energized the crowd. During “Seven One,” another video played featuring Spirograph-like spinning graphics on the screen and an audio explanation of the number. Closing the show with “A Public Stoning,” the audience was told they could pull out their phones and record if they wanted to, since photos and recordings had not been allowed during the performance. It was the one exception made all night. As Puscifer exited the stage, Dave Hill returned with his electric guitar in hand to shred some more.