“Sessanta” birthday bash unites A Perfect Circle, Primus, Puscifer and packs Wintrust Arena

Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Man of many bands, Maynard James Keenan, just turned 60 and he’s celebrating in style with a whole host of musically intricate friends throughout the “Sessanta” Tour, including a packed stop at the Wintrust Arena.

In fact, the once-in-lifetime pairing of A Perfect Circle, Primus and Puscifer proved so popular, it probably could’ve warranted another night, but the local exclusivity made it all the more special, especially considering each band’s individual sets featured guest appearances galore.

There were no openers or headliners, just an ongoing collaborative spirit for three hours of alternative and experimental expressions dating back to the early 1990s, yet they were impossible to tie to any era and came across almost otherworldly.

A Perfect Circle got the birthday party going, pummeling through “The Package,” “Disillusioned” and “The Contrarian” with Puscifer’s Carina Round as principal players Keenan (fresh off a Tool season), guitarist Billy Howerdel and bassist Matt McJunkins instantly upheld their revered status.

The same could be said about Primus, comprised of leader/bassist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry LaLonde (Tom Waits, Serj Tankian) and drummer Tim Alexander (a previous beat keeper for Keenan’s projects), when it came to the metallic funk of “Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers” through “Follow The Fool.”

Keenan and Round returned alongside fellow co-founder/multi-instrumentalist Mat Mitchell for Puscifer’s first crack at the already amped-up crowd and they certainly kept the aggressive yet arty momentum going thanks to “Galileo,” “Tiny Monsters” and “Indigo Children.”

A second round of a similar pattern included Primus’ “Tommy The Cat,” accompanied by “Maynard The Cat,” Puscifer taking the “Bullet Train To Iowa” and Alexander joining A Perfect Circle on “The Hollow,” amongst the several others.

Claypool jumping into APC’s “So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish” was another fascinating combination, plus much of the cast accompanied Primus’ spicy “Southbound Pachyderm.”

The home stretch also cranked up compelling editions of A Perfect Circle’s “Kindred” and Primus/Keenan’s take on “Pablo’s Hippos,” though there was truly no topping the entire gang working their way around Pucifer’s “Grand Canyon” as the Wintrust soaked up every last drop of the adrenaline-doused blowout.

For additional information on A Perfect Circle, Primus and Pucifer, visit APerfectCircle.com, Primusville.com, Puscifer.com and SessantaLive.com.

For a list of upcoming Jam Productions concerts, visit JamUSA.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at the Wintrust Arena include Keith Sweat and Tyrese (Sept. 13). For additional details, visit WintrustArena.com.