Primus performed at the Arizona Financial Theatre last Friday with opener MonoNeon, introducing new drummer John Hoffman during their Onward and Upward tour following the Tim "Herb" Alexander era. The setlist included ’90s songs from albums such as "Frizzle Fry" and "The Brown Album." The show featured light displays, music videos, and remarks from Les Claypool, who told the crowd, “What the hell’s going on, Phoenix? Here you are. Here we are. Here we go,” according to Phoenix New Times.
Opening with improvisational energy, MonoNeon delivered a set that included tributes to the late Ozzy Osbourne and showcased the avant-garde bass-centric groove that defines the act. The band's immersive display of improvisation extended to the iconic MonoNeon and Claypool bass duo that left crowds mesmerized. "The crowd, whether they knew it or not, was privileged to hear such high-level bass players improvising together," claimed the Phoenix New Times report.
Primus continued the evening weaving through themes that ranged from light-hearted to socially poignant. In their set, they featured "The Last Salmon Man," which departs from their typically more abstract themes to address environmental issues. Remarkably, Hoffman contributed his first composition to the band's repertoire, titled "Little Lord Fentanyl," described as both funny and frightful. After performing with MonoNeon, Claypool joked in a statement to the Phoenix New Times, “I think we should just stop there. What the hell are we going to do now?”
The band’s encore included “Golden Boy” and “Too Many Puppies.” As the concert ended without some fan favorites, the house sound system played “Pure Imagination” while fans exited the venue. AZ Central captured images of MonoNeon’s performance.
