Las Vegas Weekly

February 17, 2009 · 9:25 AM

Photo Gallery: The off-kilter world of the Puscifer circus of quirk

By Robin Leach

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

It’s a really strange name -- and the show is even stranger! Perhaps we aren’t even supposed to understand Puscifer. In advance interviews, rocker Maynard James Keenan said the best explanation is that the show is a visual interpretation of “voices in my head.” If so, there’s a whole cacophony of crowds all chattering away nonstop up there.

The world premiere weekend of Puscifer at the Palms kicked off with three nights of sellout crowds, and what could have been a train wreck turned out to be a successful debut. Among the surprise cast of the self-described wild and crazy circus were actress-model Milla Jovovich and Tina Alexander of Primus.

When he’s not performing with Tool and A Perfect Circle, artist and genius Maynard also is a connoisseur of the grape, producing an extraordinary Caduceus red wine series from his Merkin Vineyards in the most unlikely spot of Arizona.

Maynard didn’t disappoint: He may have strolled on stage as an almost unrecognizable overweight, balding, hunched-over elderly man in a sweat suit to start the satire, but after the third song, he was back on stage in a smart business suit and sunglasses as Mr. Cool toasting the crowd with his fine wine!

Characters dressed as a nun and a priest mixed it up alongside a New Age individual known as Punjab with comedy about religion and the universe.

Contributing photographer and MJK fan Erik Kabik snapped these photographs. He told me: “Maynard is always ahead of the curve with his music. He proved he is staying ahead of the curve with this -- a hybrid of industrial music with tribal beats and thought-provoking lyrics, ambient at times, intense and heavy at others. The music portions of the show were outstanding. It was a high point for many when Milla came out at the end for the final song, and she looked stunning and her voice was great. It’s a shame, though, we weren’t permitted to shoot any photographs of her.”

Judging by the crowds and positive reaction and Maynard’s promise to keep updating each set of weekend shows with new acts, musicians and a theater of absurd comedy, it looks as if Puscifer will become a regular attraction at the Palms. Whatever Maynard wants us to think the invented word really means!

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