Puscifer!! Maynard and company roll into Niagara Falls for an epic night on the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino
- Justin Michael Carriere
- 5 days ago
- 8 min read
By: Justin Michael Carriere
Niagara Falls, Canada - Puscifer. If you know you know... if not, then I’mma tell ya!! When you step into the Pusciverse, the chaos is palpable. A theatrical world of storytelling populated with characters straight out of a Hunter S. Thompson novel. Maynard James Keenan brought his merry band of misfits to a near capacity OLG Stage crowd at the Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls on April 15th.
Originally started by Keenan in 2007 as an additional outlet to explore different avenues of musicality and expression, the debut album V is for Vagina released later that same year. While it was a departure from Keenan’s previous work with Tool and A Perfect Circle, it continued to showcase his creative songwriting and inimitable vocals while allowing space to delve deeper into his mischievous side.
Not too long after the release of Puscifer’s sophomore effort Conditions of my Parole, fellow musician Mat Mitchell and vocalist Carina Round joined Keenan as permanent contributors and members of the band. With 6 albums now in the bank, including the latest offering Normal Isn’t, Puscifer continues to dazzle and surprise each time out.
Before I dive into an incredible night however, I’ll get my fanboying out of the way; Maynard is an icon! Since the moment I walked into HMV at the Park Place Mall in Lethbridge, Alberta to pick up Tool’s first EP Opiate, I’ve been on the MJK train for almost 30 years. While I’ve just outed myself as a 90’s teen (no regrets!) I felt incredibly lucky to share space with such an innovator.
Okay, on with the show!!
Dave Hill
As the only Canadian stop on their Normal Isn’t Tour, the audience at the OLG Stage was privileged to witness a night of dynamism, high intensity and of course a healthy dose of absurdism (as is the Puscifer way!) But, before Maynard and company took to the stage, the scene was set for the opening act… a comedian. When I first read this would be the case, I was curious what kind of tone it would set for the night… well, I can say this unequivocally; Dave Hill ain’t your grandma’s comedian!!
From the moment he arrived on stage in a patterned white jumpsuit pedalling his shiny red bicycle, it was pure unadulterated mayhem. He leapt onto the small platform in front of the main curtain, whipped his microphone cord around and around before dropping to the ground and cranking out the best Dave Hill push-ups any of us had ever seen! From there he produced nunchucks seemingly out of nowhere and deftly whirled them around with the skill and precision of someone who had never held nunchucks before, and it was glorious.
Once he had gotten the elusive pre-show pump out of the way, and took a few well-deserved deep breaths, Hill grabbed one of his flying V guitars and ripped right into “Free Bird” (sort of), “Mother” (sort of) and “Hot For Teacher” (fully, and EVH would have been proud!) Rapid fire jokes and musical non-sequiturs coupled with hairpin retorts made for a tight and hilariously fast paced 30 minutes. Everything from pick up lines for Niagara Falls locals to conditioning the entire auditorium to chant “Dave! Dave! Dave!” at any given moment, he had us locked in for the entirety of that tight 30.
To end his set, he and his “Craig’s List” band regaled us with a song about his first fight experience, an epic tale worthy of Tolkien himself… good vs. evil, sisters’ boyfriends, broaches, Iron Maiden and fist fights!! And before he bounded off stage he made sure to let everyone know he would be in the lobby to talk with people and sign “merch, or whatever, including faces” ... My only regret from this night was not getting Dave Hill to indeed sign my face.
Puscifer
As we were recovering from being fully Dave Hill’d, and eagerly waiting for the main attraction, a couple of house announcements came over the speaker telling us that there was absolutely “no photos or videos” allowed out of respect for the artist. While some of us in media row got a few looks because of our telephoto lenses (we had permission!) the crowd mostly seemed to go along with this, and those that didn’t quickly changed their minds… As the lights went down and the curtain came up, a huge comic book illustration of a pair of bespectacled eyes appeared (belonging to Mitchell, inset with the animated faces of Keenan and Round). With their voices booming in unison throughout the theatre, we were warned to put away our phones, or we would be “vaporized” … and so it began!
The man, the myth, the Maynard stalked onto the stage with Round and both made their way up a flight of stairs onto a second level platform while Mitchell took up residence stage right. Joined by drummer Gunnar Olsen and bass player Josh Moreau the band hammered right into the first track off Normal Isn’t, “Thrust”. Lyrically cutting, Round’s vocals are haunting on the band’s savage opening salvo. Marked with an irregular time signature that my feeble 4/4 brain can barely comprehend, the tune sets the standard for the night; it’s gonna be dark, it’s gonna be weird and you’re gonna love it!!
Clad fully in black, face streaked with red across the eyes, and a multicoloured mohawk reaching for the sky, Maynard moved methodically from the platform to the main stage for the second track “Self Evident”. Bringing every bit the same mystery and goth glory, Round did the same in a similar way with a bombastic blood red dress with mountain peak shoulders. Anchoring the music, Mitchell was also dressed all in black, but with a fully shaved head and glasses, he cuts an authoritative figure; the conductor of the symphony of madness unfolding in front of us. Providing the rumbling bass and pounding percussion, both Moreau and Olsen fill out the Pusciverse orchestra enabling them all to bring us firmly into their world.
Blasting straight through “Bad Wolf”, “Normal Isn’t”, “The Algorithm” and “The Quiet Parts”, the band was able to showcase the heavier sound of the new album while mixing it seamlessly with older material. When they arrived at “Pendulum”, one of my favourites off the new record, I was genuinely stumped as to how they achieved the sound to open the song and literally wrote in my notes “Moreau on the ‘cool noise’ machine” ... turns out it was the keyboard. But! It was a testament to how rapt I was with the visuals!
After that song ended, the band left the stage to make way for a video clip called “Banger & Mashups”; a baking show featurette with Bellendia Black and Fanny Grey as guests from another planet who ultimately assimilate the host… I was going to attempt to explain what I just wrote… but I’ll direct you to the Tales From The Pusciverse comic book series as it’ll likely be a better source (and I have a page limit for this write up!)
When the band arrived at “Mantastic”, Keenan turned his mic stand horizontally and started curling it like a barbell, getting just warm enough before heading back to Olsen’s drumkit to grab… a shake weight!! With sardonic glee he worked it back and forth faster and faster and I couldn’t imagine a better visual to accompany this particular song (give it a listen if you haven’t!). When they found their way to “The Remedy” both Keenan and Round, or by this point fully Bellendia Black and Fanny Grey, would comically bicker with each other and chaotically twirl around the stage. Immersing themselves in the roles, they playfully poked and prodded one another like bickering siblings until… the one and only Dave Hill appeared onstage and produced a briefcase (maybe THE briefcase?) containing dueling pistols!! Well, nerf guns, but still! Round and Keenan proceeded to fire little foam arrows at each other from all over the stage and I believe I also caught a glimpse of a nerf crossbow and a nerf AK 47… in any case, the song, and accompanying spectacle, was a resounding way to take us into a 10-minute intermission!
Upon returning from the break (which featured an actual timer on the screen to keep track for us) the band dove into a remixed version of “Humbling River” with both Mitchell and Moreau on the keys instead of the acoustic riff on the original recording. It also featured Round lending her incredible vocals to one of the verses. A definite highlight running right into another… the tapping of keys and Keenan’s solitary intro on “ImpetuoUs” leading into Olsen’s thumping kick drum and Mitchell’s staccato guitar work. With Round’s ethereal choral voicings filling the space along with Moreau’s thick bass lines, the performance stood out for me as a moment I was able to close the notes app on my phone and just be in the music.
Moving right into “Momma Sed”, which, like “Humbling River”, also received the remix treatment, Keenan and Round opened with a beautiful vocal duet. The keys then took over in place of the acoustic guitar from the original recording, and we were gifted yet another alternate version, which I find is always a cool experience from an audience perspective!
Before reaching the last couple of powerhouse tracks to close out the night, the band gave us “Seven One” … if you’ve not heard it, I will do my best to explain… It is mostly a spoken word/recorded vocal track delving into the mythos of the number seven… which, is extensive. What I loved about the performance of it though was the lyrics/words were projected up on the screen to accompany the music, so I was learning! From Pythagorean doctrine to Shakespeare’s famous speech in As You Like It, I believe I was left a little bit smarter afterwards. I will, however, leave any further interpretation to the experts!
Before closing the show, the band launched into “Conditions of my Parole”. A lyrically raucous tune (with an accompanying music video) that brought Billy D., another Keenan creation, into the Pusciverse. I thought it an apt reference as this particular performance (again) brought the one and only Dave Hill back on stage! Or rather Dave Hill brought himself back on stage. The music stopped as we watched him attempt a wheelie and ride his bright red bicycle across the stage. Picking back up after Dave Hill gracefully(ish) made his way off, the band emphatically finished the penultimate tune.
Before the final track, “A Public Stoning”, Keenan addressed the audience at length for the first time, expressing his gratitude and informing us he had a birthday this past week! Because I’m a gentleman, I won’t name ages, but suffice to say, it’s absolutely incredible the drive and artistry the man continues to demonstrate this far into his career. It was at this point he also gave us permission to use our phones. And while I wanted to be cool and resist, I couldn’t help it (and it turned out to be invaluable for this article!) and I joined the majority of the crowd hoping to capture the mastery of the artists before us.
As the song concluded, and the band members were making their exits, you guessed it, the one and only Dave Hill ran back up on the stage with his flying V and started into “Crazy Train”!! He didn’t get very far, as a stagehand came out to escort him off, but it was the perfect chaotic end to a brilliantly chaotic evening.
As I was leaving the auditorium amidst the buzz of the crowd, and reflecting on the experience I’d just had, I was struck with this thought, and I will leave you with it… Could it be that Puscifer is the devious trickster lurking in the dark recesses of our subconcious? Maybe. Are they beings from another world sent to assimilate us? Perhaps. Are they simply a vehicle for Dave Hill to spread his Dave Hill-ean gospel throughout the land? Unlikely. But whatever they are, there’s no denying they impressed beyond all reasonable expectations, and I cannot wait until they return.
10 Maynards out of 5
Concert Photo Gallery (all photos by: Justin Michael Carriere)
Puscifer Online
Show Date: April 15, 2026
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