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Primus Still Sucks (and That’s Why We Love Them)
- Ernesto Raul Aguilar
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 29
July 11, 2025
Salt Shed
Chicago, IL
Photos & Review by Ernesto Raul Aguilar On a warm, breezy, overcast evening at Chicago’s Salt Shed Fairgrounds, the Onward & Upward Tour rolled through town, bringing a memorable double bill featuring Ty Segall and Primus. Though lightning and rain threatened later in the day the weather held steady, setting an atmospheric backdrop perfect for the evening’s unfolding madness.
The show kicked off with Ty Segall, whose tight, energetic set perfectly balanced fuzz-soaked garage rock with melodic psychedelic flourishes. His band delivered a full-bodied sound that was both raw and nuanced, creating an engaging dynamic that drew the crowd in early. Their carefully chosen setlist, including Finger, Candy Sam, Whisper, Possession, Wave Goodbye, and She, warmed the audience without overstaying its welcome, providing the ideal opening that raised anticipation for what was next.
After a brief but efficient stage rearrangement, the unmistakable strains of Danny Elfman’s Clown Dream signaled Primus’s arrival. Les Claypool emerged bass in hand, flanked by longtime guitarist Larry LaLonde and the new addition, drummer John Hoffman. Hoffman’s presence marked a notable moment, having been handpicked earlier this year from a staggering 6,200 candidates in a highly competitive open audition process. His debut with Primus on this tour proved impressive, as the trio launched into Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers with a combination of wild energy and tight precision that immediately seized the audience’s attention.
Primus’s setlist classic favorites with deep cuts, showing the band’s willingness to revisit lesser-played material, a fact Claypool credited to Hoffman's love of all things Primus. Tracks like Dirty Drowning Man, American Life, Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread, Moron TV, and Over the Falls hit with the trademark weirdness and groove that have long defined the Primus sound. A particularly notable highlight was the surprise return of Amos Moses, a Jerry Reed cover making its first live appearance since 2017. This unexpected addition elicited enthusiastic cheers from longtime fans.
The chemistry among the trio was palpable throughout the night. LaLonde’s adventurous and sometimes playful guitar lines weaved effortlessly around Claypool’s nimble bass work, while Hoffman anchored the band’s complex rhythms. Songs like Jilly’s on Smack, Restin’ Bones, and Bob’s Party Time Lounge demonstrated the band’s ability to balance eccentric storytelling with exceptional musicianship, a defining quality that has kept Primus relevant and beloved over the years.
As the night ended, the crowd erupted during the performances of Welcome to This World, My Name Is Mud, and Jerry Was a Race Car Driver, songs that have become enduring anthems for this idiosyncratic band. The show ended with an encore performance of Southbound Pachyderm, a slow, heavy, and haunting piece that left the Salt Shed reverberating.
The Onward & Upward Tour’s stop in Chicago was a powerful reminder that Primus remains a singular force in modern rock, weird, unorthodox, and yet undeniably masterful, carrying a legacy built on defying expectations. Somewhere within the distortion and the glorious weirdness, one thing rang clear: Primus still sucks, and that’s exactly why we love them.
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