Claypool Gold (Primus, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Frog Brigade) at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2026-05-28)

OUR name is Mud!

With a day full of rains, things gratefully cleared up enough for a local stop from Claypool Gold– a “Les is More!” combo platter of bands Colonel Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, and of course Primus, all joining forces for a full evening in the Claypool universe at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City.

If the venue had more than a few small grassy patches, it for sure would have been muddy, but thankfully, the biggest task was wiping off your seat and keeping dry.

Patrons that came in the venue’s East entrance were appropriately greeted by the croaking of actual frogs, who had made their way into the venue’s blue-lit fountain, and which helped set the tone for the opening act.

Colonel Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade got things started at 8p on the dot, with a too-short but weaving and compelling four-song set that dipped into another of Claypool’s side projects, and featured a bit of whimsy alongside expert playing and jam-like instrumental passages. ‘Fearless’ enough to deviate from the setlist, “Phantom Patriot” was skipped for a Sausage cover (bummed) but it easily flowed in with the rest of the songs.

Members were dressed in green jackets with tan pith helmets, ready to begin the evening’s sonic safari. Primus drummer John Hoffman even jumped on stage to join fellow stickman Paulo Baldi to help finish their set (complete with animated jumping frogs on the video backdrop) on the dual-percussion force of “Precipitation.”

Though many of the members were the same, there was a brief (5min.-ish) intermission to get things in place for The Claypool Lennon Delirium, in support of this year’s The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy full-length and related EP, Melody of Entropy. The vibe instantly turned more ‘Strawberry Fields Forever-like’ trippy and (self-described) ‘progadelic’, with the lead taken by Ghost of a Sabretooth Tiger’s guitarist and vocalist Sean Ono Lennon, while Claypool mostly played an important but background role.

The music remained trademark odd and eccentric, with underground comic-like animations on-screen and Lennon’s pleasantly drifting but melodic verses anchoring the songs, beginning with the opening, “WAP (What a Predicament)” which immediately engaged the crowd as a steady drizzle continued overhead.

Brigade’s percussionist Mike Dillon appeared to help out on the new album’s single, “Meat Machines” and Lennon (aka ‘Shiner’) paused to shout-out the custom BiLT Guitars he plays (made in nearby Des Moines, IA), bringing out a sparkly, amber shimmering model on “The Golden Egg of Empathy,” which Claypool jokingly described as less looking like a ‘golden egg’ and more of a ‘goldfish sperm,’ which drew laughs.

One of the musical highlights of the evening, was undoubtedly the band’s final song- an extended cover of Pink Floyd’s “Astronomy Domine” which unleashed some full-fledged jamming from all three bands who came out, including Brigade’s keyboardist, Harry Waters, who happens to be the son of Floyd’s co-founder, Roger Waters, which all made it truly special.

After a twenty-minute intermission, it was finally time for the main course, and if magically synched with Mother Nature, the steady drizzle had backed off into a light sprinkle, which was excuse enough to shed any rain ponchos and jacket hoods.

The longtime and influential trio Primus hasn’t released a full-length in almost a decade (though EP A Handful of Nuggs did come out this year, via ATO Records) but no one seemed to care, the fans more eager to see the chemistry between the members again, and hear the hits and deep cuts they’ve cherished over the years.

The lighting for the band was dramatically darker, with the music more resolute and backroads-vibed than the previous acts, and Claypool’s tight bass tones and guitarist Larry ‘Ler’ LaLonde leading their musical charge. Claypool’s vocals often switched to swamp hillbilly to lighten the context and evoke some rural trappings.

Formed way back in 1984, today the band excludes a musically tight polish, despite their start-stop grooving and sometimes eclectic time structure on songs like “The Antipop”, played for the first time on this tour.

Some planned setlist deviation happened here as well, but the band’s varied and multigenerational fans- prog nerds, metal fans, aging hippies, jam-band lovers, and more, happily went with the flow and danced and cheered from their seats (shouting the traditional “Primus Sucks!” after each song too).

In a great end to the main set, we got hits “My Name Is Mud” and “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver” played-back-to-back with clips from the music videos appearing on-screen, reminding us how young and distinctively spry Claypool and the band were, over three decades ago.

The encore was just the single song, “Southbound Pachyderm,” (complete with Claypool in a disco ball reflecting helmet) but oh, what an extended and jam-heavy performance it was! Stretching close the venue’s 11p curfew,it included all three bands again on the now-crowded stage (as circling elephant images swirling on the video screen) and was far and away, the best version we’ve heard of that epic track.

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So, Claypool Gold for the win! This was no nostalgia trip or self-aggrandizing over-indulgent showcase; rather, it highlighted and celebrated the connective tissue between all these Les Claypool’s often funky, sometimes absurd, and all musically worthy projects.

Claypool’s continued restlessness and refusal to stay in one genre, band, or sound is our collective gain – the fans get to ride along on his still-evolving musical circus and experience a performer that still has a lot to offer.

PRIMUS

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The Claypool Lennon Delirium​​​​​​​​

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Colonel Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade​

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National / International act coming through the Midwest / Kansas City area? Please email details to johnc@weheartmusic.com with a good lead time to be considered for Show Preview and Show Coverage consideration.