PRIMUS, the band that sucks, are back on the road AGAIN in 2025! Following their Sessanta 2.0 tour with Maynard’s Puscifer & A Perfect Circle that ended in June, the “new” trio brought the Onward & Upward summer tour! “New” because something is different about Primus, “new” because NorCal reeled in a catch all the way from Louisiana!
Back in October of 2024, Les & the gang announced that Herb abruptly, suddenly & unfortunately departed from the band. It was & still is shocking news for all us music lovers & drummers around the world – but the show must go on as they say. We here at San Diego Metal Swap Meet do wish Herb the best in whatever journey he decides to pursue next!
Within that same announcement in October however, Primus stated that they will search for “the greatest drummer on earth,” & so they did! With over 6,000 submitted auditions, 1 bastard prevailed – John Hoffman! Hoffman, coming all the way from Shreveport, Louisiana to compete in what would be the ultimate final audition dubbed, the “interstellar drum derby,” outplayed notable drummers like Thomas Pridgen & Nikki Glaspie. It was then formally announced in February that he will now be leading on the sticks!
Fast forward to Saturday August 2nd, Primus returned to the Cal Coast Credit Union Amphitheater in San Diego, for the third time since the postponed a tribute to kings tour. To kickoff the event however, MonoNeon entered the fray for the final night with Primus. MonoNeon, the lefty bassist performed nothing but hip & funky riffs throughout his set to liven up the joint.
Following his performance was Primus & the crowd obviously cheered for Les & Ler as they made their way to the stage; but San Diego roared their support for Hoffman once he appeared on his throne! The first song was American Life & what better way to open up the show! It’s a perfect choice to set the mood for the awesome vibes throughout the night! For the live rendition of this song, Les hooks you with his straight to the point vocals, as he tells you a story of the “American Dream.” His strumming & hammering riff here kicks ass & is right in your face when heard live. Ler’s riffs are not only effective, but they are also great transition pieces for Les to keep it moving. Keeping it simple sometimes does the trick & Hoffman achieves that here which holds your focus to all that’s happening on stage.
Next was John The Fisherman & what a song to see Hoffman’s drumming capability. Talk about keeping it in the pocket! Sometimes with a funky song like this, you’d want to showcase your drumming chops but then again, Hoffman does right but adds his own style too! This song is another testament to what Primus is because of Ler’s whacky sounding licks.
Thirdly, Les proceeded with the recognizable opening strum of Groundhog’s Day. Not only is this tune written really well musically – it is lyrically too. More story from these 3 hooligans but the star of the show for this track is Ler. He is a phenomenal guitarist & this song displays that. His riff construction here is perfect & keeps the listener going from right with Les, to left with Ler, to right with Les, to left with Ler. Rinse & Repeat until his epic solo. Speaking of the solo, Hoffman shined too by adding his chops & flavor!
Throughout the remainder of the show, Primus performed songs like The Heckler, Bob’s Party Time Lounge, an Amos Moses Jerry Reed cover, Mrs. Blaileen & Southbound Pachyderm with MonoNeon. It’s cool to see the Brown Album get showcased throughout this tour too. I wonder if it was Hoffman’s idea?
Anyways & as always, Primus delivers whimsical & engaging fun. It’s a great feeling to get lost into what you hear live & the eye opening visuals by Cage take it to another level! It’s honestly an attraction to see Les perform. His bass tones are very creative, different & interesting. It’s an honor to hear what Ler emits from his guitar. He can do it all & it’s motivating to see what Hoffman achieved with his drumming skills! A standing ovation & hats off for Hoffman. Here’s hoping for more original music with the 3! Primus continues this same tour today in Los Angeles at The Greek Theatre.
