In The Loop Magazine Puscifer Turns Chicago Theatre Into A Beautifully Bizarre Night Of Performance Art

Puscifer Turns Chicago Theatre Into A Beautifully Bizarre Night Of Performance Art

Apr 27, 2026 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

By Harrison Kristoff

At the historic Chicago Theatre Saturday night Puscifer once again proved that a concert in the hands of Maynard James Keenan is never just a concert. It is theater, satire, music, absurdism, and social commentary rolled into one carefully orchestrated fever dream. On the band’s The Normal Isn’t tour, the message was clear from the title alone: whatever passes for “normal” in today’s world is worth questioning, mocking, and reimagining. The last time they were in town they were in the middle of a Mexican lucha libre wrestling ring. This time, something different.

In a seemingly trademark Keenan fashion, the stage remained drenched in low lighting and shadows for much of the evening, making the musicians appear more like silhouettes than rock stars. It is a deliberate rejection of ego and spotlight, forcing attention onto mood, sound, and spectacle rather than personalities. Even then, Keenan’s presence was unmistakable. Decked out in his traditional mohawk wig, face paint, and fully inhabiting his gothic alter ego Bellendia Black, he stalked the stage with the same strange charisma that has made him one of modern rock’s most fascinating frontmen.

The evening unfolded in three separate sets, divided by a ten-minute intermission that only added to the sense of attending some avant-garde production rather than a standard rock show. Between sets came a string of hilarious pre-recorded video segments, each as odd and entertaining as fans would expect. One standout was a surreal cooking feature starring Keenan and co-vocalist Carina Round, an extension of Maynard’s own joke that Puscifer is where his Id, Ego, and Anima gather to exchange cookie recipes. It was weird, witty, and somehow perfectly on-brand.

Musically, the band was razor sharp. Carina Round’s voice added both elegance and menace, effortlessly complementing Keenan’s shifting tones. Mat Mitchell handled guitar and keyboards with precision and atmosphere, acting as the sonic architect behind much of the night’s dense textures.

Gunnar Olsen delivered muscular, inventive drumming, while Josh Moreau stepped into the rotating bass role with groove and authority. Together, they created a soundscape that moved seamlessly between industrial pulse, art rock experimentation, and dark electronic swagger.

What separates Puscifer from nearly every other touring act is the commitment to concept. These performances are not simply songs played live, they are living installations. Keenan treats the stage as a canvas, blending costume, character work, humor, and tension into something closer to performance art than a conventional rock show. You never quite know what’s coming next, and that uncertainty is part of the thrill.

The finale only reinforced that spirit of chaos and fun. Opening comedian Dave Hill re-emerged, riding a bicycle around the stage and we got a guitar solo of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” because of course he did. It was ridiculous, triumphant, and the perfect ending to a night where logic was checked at the door.

One thing remains true after every Puscifer performance: you may not know what you’re about to witness, but you can count on it being entertaining, inventive, and unlike anything else on the road. In Chicago, The Normal Isn’t felt exactly right.