In The Loop Magazine Claypool Gold Shines Bright at The Salt Shed

Claypool Gold Shines Bright at The Salt Shed

Jun 05, 2026 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

By Harrison Kristoff

On a perfect early-summer evening along the Chicago River, Les Claypool brought one of the most ambitious concert concepts of his career to Chicago. ‘Claypool Gold’ rolled into The Salt Shed on a Wednesday evening, turning the outdoor fairgrounds into a celebration of everything that makes Claypool one of the most inventive musicians in modern rock. Featuring performances from Primus, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, and Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, the tour felt less like a standard concert and more like a living museum dedicated to the many strange and wonderful corners of Claypool’s musical universe.

The weather could not have been better. A warm breeze drifted across the venue as the sun slowly disappeared behind the city skyline. Fans packed the grounds early, many wearing Primus shirts from tours spanning decades, eager to witness a lineup that showcased nearly every side of Claypool’s career.

One of the evening’s biggest highlights was hearing material from Fearless Flying Frog Brigade. The project has always occupied a special place in the Claypool catalog, but its appearances have been relatively rare compared to Primus. We only got a few songs but hearing “Buzzards of Green Hill,” “Lust Stings,” “David Makalaster,” and “One Better” brought a loose, psychedelic energy that felt perfectly suited to the outdoor setting. For longtime fans, simply hearing Frog Brigade material performed live again was worth the price of admission.

The Claypool Lennon Delirium set provided an entirely different experience. The collaboration between Les Claypool and Sean Lennon, son of the legendary John Lennon, has produced some of the most adventurous psychedelic rock of the last decade. Their chemistry was on full display throughout the night as they moved effortlessly between intricate arrangements and spontaneous moments of musical exploration. Tracks such as “South of Reality,” “Troll Bait,” the Pink Floyd cover of “Astronomy Domine,” and the newer “WAP (What a Predicament)” sounded massive under the Chicago night sky. Sean Lennon proved once again that he is far more than the son of a Beatle, bringing his own distinctive guitar work, vocals, and songwriting personality to the performance.

Of course, the loudest reactions of the evening were reserved for Primus. Claypool’s iconic bass tone immediately transformed the atmosphere as the band ripped through fan favorites kicking off with “Harold of the Rocks,” then rolling through classics like “The Ol’ Grizz,” “Jilly’s on Smack,” “My Name Is Mud,” and the inevitable set-closing blast of “Southbound Pachyderm.” The crowd sang along to nearly every word while Claypool stalked the stage with the same eccentric charisma that has made him one of alternative rock’s most unique frontmen. A special point of the show came when they played, “Spegetti Western” from Frizzle Fry at a tour debut.

What made Claypool Gold truly special, however, was the fluid nature of the show. Rather than feeling like three separate sets, the evening often blurred the lines between projects. Musicians drifted in and out of performances, creating unexpected collaborations and reminding everyone that these bands are all connected through Claypool’s restless creativity. The grand finale brought members from all three groups together, turning the stage into a joyous musical circus that perfectly captured the spirit of the tour.

For more than three decades, Les Claypool has refused to be confined to a single band or style. Claypool Gold demonstrated exactly why. Whether delivering the eccentric funk-metal attack of Primus, the psychedelic experimentation of The Claypool Lennon Delirium, or the cult-favorite jams of Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, Claypool spent the evening reminding Chicago that few artists possess a catalog as diverse, bizarre, and consistently entertaining as his own.

On a beautiful June night at The Salt Shed, Claypool didn’t just perform a concert—he presented an entire musical universe.